Dreamer
by Out0fMyHead
Summary: She's a dreamer, he's a git. They say opposites attract but will she be able to break through his shell?
1. Prologue

Severus had plans, plans that involved a bottle of firewhiskey and a warm fire, a book, and his favorite chair. Plans that were dashed when as he made his way toward the dungeons he spotted the very slightest glance of blonde hair- as the owner rounded the corner out of sight.

Well, that wasn't going to happen. Not on his watch. Students out of bed was strictly prohibited, especially now that blasted Golden Trio had moved on and left the school to some much needed peace.

He rounded the corner and spotted her, long blonde hair down to her waist, back to him. He cleared his throat, in the way that he always did when he caught as student out of bed. It was a wonder to him she did not stop in her tracks but instead knelt onto the floor, carrying on whatever it was she was doing.

He rounded on her, surprised, and yet somehow not to find Luna Lovegood, knelt on the floor scooping a strange looking bug into her cupped palm.

"Last I checked the Ravenclaw common room was in the opposite direction of the dungeons, Ms. Lovegood." He sniped, his voice as harsh as he was able to produce. The snake had not stolen his voice from him, but it had stolen much of his energy. It seemed he'd never quite recovered from the venom it had poured into his veins.

"Oh yes, of course, apologies Professor Snape. I simply heard the cries of this dear creature and I couldn't possibly let him- well," her voice dropped, she cupped her free hand beside her mouth, as if to stop the insect from hearing her words, "die here. That would be rather tragic." Severus fought the urge to roll his eyes.

Perhaps he shouldn't have returned to teaching at all. Between his students, and his ever fading energy it was a wonder he had any life left in him at all.

"Professor Snape, if you don't mind my saying, you really should drink more Gillywater. It is very good for your stamina, and it can help with mood swings as well." She spoke in that same dreamy tone she'd always had. Enough to drive him to the brink of insanity, and sooth his nerves in the very same instant. Strange that one.

"I'm not even certain what you are on about now, Lovegood, do get to your dorm before I am forced to assign you detention."

"Oh please sir, if you see fit to assign detention that really is quite alright with me. I haven't been able to inspect the contents of cauldrons for Wurmongurs in quite some time. It would be a pleasure."

"I'm going to regret asking this, I know." He grumbled under his breath.  
"What is a Wurmongur, Ms. Lovegood?"

"Why, it's only the most fantastic creature! They live on the waste of misbrewed potions, they're quite difficult to catch and a rarity to spot but they are particularly tasty to certain creatures and make fantastic lures! Though- I suppose I would never allow them to be eaten if I were to have one for a lure…" She trailed off, dreamy eyes drifted across the hall as she turned and went to make her way away from him.

He cleared his throat, drawing her attention back to his face.

"Oh, yes sir, is there something else? You really should eat more, you know, you're looking quite thin, and drawn, have you considered a massage, or perhaps a vacation? My father and I used to search for unknown creatures in several locations- India is quite nice in the Fall, many beautiful fabrics and…" He managed to cut her off with a hand, staring at the witch long and hard.

"Ms. Lovegood, certainly you need to be going to bed." His tone was tired, his eyes drooping. Exhausting, or maybe she was right, perhaps he did need to eat more. The Lovegood girl always did have a way of speaking the truth, even if it was in an entirely inelegant way.

"Oh, yes sir, of course, I'll just be taking this little guy outside and then I will go to sleep. You should get some sleep as well sir. I would be more than happy to help you, I know some wonderful stories, should you ever need my assistance." She offered with a smile. It surprised him. Her mind worked in mysterious ways though.

He'd known that from the very beginning.

"Yes, well, I will be certain to call upon you should I ever find myself so desperate." He grumbled sarcastically. She didn't say another word, only turned on her heal and walked away, blonde hair flowing behind her and making her visible in the dim hall until she vanished entirely.

And that was why he didn't give Luna Lovegood detention.

She would talk his bloody ear off. No amount of vitriol, no measure of irritability, no insult could sway the girl from her incessant speaking, wild ideas, and 'friendly' suggestions.

He groaned as he made his was the rest of the way to his rooms and collapsed into the chair he'd had his mind set on the entire day.

He summoned a house elf who left him a small meal and tumbler of firewhiskey.

Severus drank the whiskey, but he did not eat the food.

She may have been right, but that certainly didn't help his appetite any.

 _Gillywater_ , that girl really was a loon.


	2. Chapter 1

Luna sat in the corner of the Ravenclaw common room. She was hardly interested in the things going on around her and instead spent the better part of her time reading the latest edition of the Quibbler.

She ignored a group of first years as they passed her, giggling while they were filled in by a fourth year that she was in fact 'Loony Lovegood' a nickname that had stuck with her from her second year. She wondered, momentarily, what Ginny was doing and if perhaps she needed a bit of company.

Most of her Ravenclaw companions were out and about, as it was a beautiful sunny day, the sky bearing a few clouds that drifted lazily by, and it was the weekend. Their first since returning to school after the massive battle that was the last.

She wasn't haunted by memories of the battle- at least, not as Hermione and Ginny were. Even Neville, one of her dearest friends, had been majorly impacted emotionally by the war. She folded her newspaper, certain to cross the lines three times- because that kept certain unwanted pests away- and stood from her mound of cushions to leave the common room.

"Hey Loony! Off to find something that doesn't exist?" A jibe, followed by a bit of laughter. Their jokes never seemed to get any better but this one was particularly poor. She simply gave the boy who'd called out to her a dreamy smile and adjusted her wand behind her ear.

"Why, how will you ever know that it does not exist if you do not first search for it?" She smiled again at the look on the boy's chubby face and turned, leaving the common room and drifting off in search of something to do.

She had in fact grown quite a bit more sensitive after her time in the Malfoy dungeons. It had been difficult, living on scraps and being tortured for information she did not have- or would not give even if she'd had it. It had been harder knowing her father was out there alone, missing her and needing her to come back and take care of him.

He'd been so broken when her mother had died, and even though it was now nine years ago it still seemed fresh to her father.

"Ah, 'ello there Luna, what're ye up to this afternoon?" Hagrid, she'd managed to drift all the way to the half-giant's hut lost in her thoughts, she smiled at the beaming man, her eyes drifted across his garden.

"I'd thought perhaps I could spend a bit of time with Fang, I haven't seen him since before the final battle and he is quite the good companion." She'd been going to visit with the giant dog for the better part of two years. Always bringing him bone scraps from the house elves and tossing his large slobbery ball for him when he felt up to a bit of play.

"Well o'course you can visit with 'em, let me jus' get'im, he's been lazin' about the great lump." He disappeared into his hut only to reappear again a few minutes later with a bored looking Fang.

The instant he spotted Luna she smiled and waved a rather large bone in the air, sending him hurtling toward her, she could only utter a good-natured laugh as the large being knocked her to the ground and drooled- all over her face.

Luna opted to sit with Ginny at the Gryffindor table for dinner, observing discretely as she and Hermione spoke in whispers back and forth between one another. It was strange, always being the one to observe the interactions of those around her.

For example; Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were engaged, everyone was amazed, acted as though they'd never seen it coming.

She had though, she'd known, realized it every time they locked eyes across a crowded room and she'd seen just that flitter of something else before their anger had surfaced. Now it was Hermione and Ginny, sitting a little closer to one another than was typical, talking with their heads dipped close together.

Yes, one could assume that it was because they were best friends. That it was because they did everything together, but their body language spoke volumes what was going on with them. She thought it was rather nice, they would make a good couple, Ginny the boisterous, outgoing, friendly redhead, Hermione the thoughtful, clever, kind bookworm.

She certainly thought it was a better match than the _other_ Weasley Hermione had been interested in. Sure, Ron was nice, and sweet, but he was a bit of a hothead, and she just couldn't see Hermione being happy with someone who lost his temper, and disowned his friends at the drop of a hat.

Her pale, silvery eyes drifted to the Head Table next, catching sight of McGonagall first, the new Headmistress- Hermione would be taking her place as Transfiguration Professor and Head Of Gryffindor the next year. They drifted down the table, Flitwick remained, she spared a small friendly wave for Trelawney- who was wearing her thick glasses, her bushy hair a mess around her face- she waved back.

Luna liked Professor Trelawney, she was very nice, if not a bit eccentric- but all the best people were, weren't they? As much as she adored Care of Magical Creatures, which had always been her favorite subject, Divination had always been a close second.

She'd always seemed to have a talent for taking a peek into the future, Trelawney had called her a natural and insisted she give her private lessons. Yes, she liked the woman.

Next was Madam Pince, who she was surprised to see outside of the Library, as she often took her meals there- Luna always brought her flowers on Wednesdays so she wouldn't feel quite so lonely- and then there was Professor Snape.

She always felt a strange flip in her stomach when she locked eyes with him. He was so much her opposite, bathed in black, with dark eyes and a surly demeanor. Perhaps that was what made her so curious about him though, the idea that he was so much different from herself.

She liked the way it made her feel when he looked back.

She liked it a lot, she needed to look away. Pulling her eyes from the Head Table she observed the other Gryffindors around her. Most had grown accustomed to her sitting at their table, some still asked why 'Loony Lovegood' was at their table but it didn't bother her.

They were obviously good people on the inside, and that is what matters most- in fact, she knew that most all people were good on the inside, in some way or another.

Voldemort being the obvious exception, but he was dead, and it would be some time before they would see the rise of a new darkness like him.

Of course, there would be one, there always was.

Luna bid farewell to her friends, planning to do a bit of a walkabout before she went to bed and slipped from the great hall and into the hallways. She disliked the dreary black robes they were forced to wear as a uniform and so she'd livened them up with a bit of Ravenclaw spirit, sewing a few patches of blue here and there and painting a rather large eagle on the back.

She thought it looked quite nice.

She pulled a paper from her pocket, the edition of the Quibbler she'd not managed to finish that morning and played with the creases, her fingers flitting over the smooth paper as she walked, lost in her own world.

"Well, if it isn't Loony Lovegood." The Slytherin boy knocked the paper out of her hands, ripping it in the process as it fluttered to the floor and the inner pages scattered.

He laughed, stomping on the pages as she simply stared at him, silvery eyes lost.

She never understood the meanness of some people. It was beyond her why they would behave in such a manner, especially to someone they didn't even know.

"Well, pick up your stupid paper, Loony." He taunted, she felt her ears turn red in irritation at the insult. Insulting the paper was like insulting her father, and while now she knew he had faults, she loved him more than anyone else in the world.

"You take that back right now." She hissed, her voice cold steel. The boy gave her a strange look, as if he'd not expected the response.

"No, it's a stupid paper, my pop says the idiot who writes that drivel doesn't know a dragon from his hind end." He taunted, Luna gave him the fiercest glare.

"Take that back right now. My father is not an idiot." Her voice was cold and hard, sharp as a blade and the boy blanched a bit. Though she had to wonder if it was at her or at the looming figure that seemed to have come out of nowhere behind her.

"Ten points from Slytherin. Run along, Pruit." Professor Snape spoke from behind her. Though she would have known him anywhere, even before hearing his voice. He carried around with him the distinct scent of potions, and the dungeons, an oddly pungent combination that she did not find at all unappealing.  
"Are you well, Ms. Lovegood?" Luna turned, her eyes locking on the towering wizard as she gave him her usual dreamy smile.

"Why of course sir, thank you very much for your help." And then she turned, dropped to her knees, and attempted to gather her papers. She was stopped when they pulled themselves back together and were repaired right in front of her face. The action made her smile and she gathered the paper into her arms and turned to give the Professor another smile, he was just pocketing his wand and she trailed small fingers over hers, hooked behind her ear.

"If that will be all, Ms. Lovegood?" He cocked a black eyebrow at her and she tipped her head, several pieces of blonde hair fell into her face, she ignored them.

"I wonder, sir, do you need any help? You seem tired and I have a free block of time on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday." She smiled dreamily.

"I do not need _help_ , Ms. Lovegood." He sneered, she took a breath and gave a nod.

She wondered if people realized she had feelings? She didn't think they did.

Especially not Professor Snape, he didn't actually care about anyone's feelings though, so she supposed it was okay, all-in-all.

"Well, if you decide you would like someone to clean cauldrons I have time." She smiled, took her paper and drifted away. She was not unaware of the dark eyes that lingered on her back.


	3. Chapter 2

Luna scrubbed at the first cauldron on the pile in front of her happily, her eyes set on her task and her mind drifting as she made certain to watch for Wurmongurs as she worked. Professor Snape sat behind his desk, a little way away from her, grading papers.

The room was silent but for the scratch of quill on parchment and the soft sound of her scrubbing the cauldron.

"It's nice, isn't it? Having someone to sit in silence with you." She observed, she was only half paying attention to the fact she'd even spoken and it startled her when the Professor responded.

"Yes, when the company you keep is capable of remaining silent." It held the same vitriol as any of his other retorts and she smiled to herself, settling the now clean cauldron aside and starting on another.

"I wonder, Professor, what do you do in your free time? You're a solitary man so you must not do much. I like to imagine you spend a lot of time reading, that seems like something you would do. You always smell like firewhiskey, so I can only assume it is your favorite, and fireplace, you have the distinct smell of burning wood that clings to you. It's interesting because given the evidence you must spend quite a lot of your time reading, and drinking in front of the fireplace. Do you ever get lonely whilst reading?" She looked up as she started on the next cauldron to see him staring at her with wide eyes.  
"Have I said something wrong, sir?"

"I think that should be enough for this evening, Ms. Lovegood. Perhaps you should return during your free blocks as you suggested to clean more." He had averted his gaze from her. His voice sounded strange to her ears, strained.

"I apologize for stressing you, Professor. I would be more than happy to return tomorrow." She gave him a broad smile, which was met with a dark look before she drifted from the classroom. Wondering what she'd said to earn that look.

Luna was aware she said things often that made people uncomfortable, that the truth was something many people either couldn't, or were unwilling to see and acknowledge. She hoped she'd not upset him in some way, she liked being in his company, he had a very soothing presence about him, something she could become accustomed to.

"At night they come without being fetched. By day they are lost without being stolen. What are they?" Luna stared for a moment, her tongue poking between her lips in concentration.

"The stars."

"Very good." She entered the Ravenclaw common room to find it entirely empty, which was not surprising as it was near on three in the morning. Heading into her dorm room, shared with three other Ravenclaw seventh years she crawled back into her bed, not bothering to change out of her clothes, and slipped off to sleep, feeling much better than she had when she'd left earlier in the evening.

Severus sat behind his desk for a long moment after the witch left.

He never would have expected anyone to pay so much attention to him. He lifted the front of his robes and smelled them. The musk of dungeons was there, but certainly, there was the soft scent of wood smoke.

When had she ever been close enough to him to smell it?

He'd watched her drift from the classroom, completely dumbfounded at the idea that anyone noticed his habits, his mannerisms. Perhaps Luna Lovegood was not as oblivious as he'd once thought.

Standing was a task, when he was as exhausted as he was and it took quite a lot of work to stumble to his bed, he was asleep the moment he collapsed into the slick covers. Bliss, his dreams were bliss.

Severus woke with a start to the feeling of eyes on him and immediately had his wand in hand, wide black eyes locked on silvery orbs staring down at him.

"Ms. Lovegood, how in Merlin's name did you get in here?" He groaned, rubbing at his head and she smiled, appearing to be not at all bothered by the wand pointed at her face.

"I grew concerned when your first class entered and you were not yet in attendance, guessing your password was rather simple and your wards, were expert but very similar to those my father uses." She smiled, her voice dreamy and he lowered his wand.

Her long blonde hair was draped around him, a little braid hanging amidst the strands, wand tucked behind her ear as usual.

"My class?" He was still having a difficult time getting his bearings. He'd never felt quite so exhausted as he had the night before, he still needed sleep. His body was begging for it.

"Yes Professor. I told them I am your assistant, I hope you do not mind, and set them to work memorizing the ingredients and stirring methods for a simple potion in the beginning of the book. If I recall first year you did not favor brewing until second term." She smiled. His head throbbed.

"Yes, yes, if you could please be quiet now Ms. Lovegood." He closed his eyes, pressing fingers to his temples.

"If you'd like I could retrieve Madam Pomfrey." She offered, voice lowered considerably and he opened his eyes to see her looming over him still. She had her arms folded behind her back, and that smile still plastered on her face.

He waved a hand, forcing her to back away some and giving him more space to breathe.

He would need to find how out she'd gotten his password immediately after resolving his terrible headache.

"I'm sure I can make it to the hospital wing on my own." He grumbled, sat up and tossed his legs over the edge of the bed, he swayed dizzily before gaining his bearings.

"If you're certain sir, it really is no trouble. I gave the first years Homework and I would be happy to take you and be back in time to settle the second years in." She offered a hand, one that had been behind her back, to him and he stared at it.

Her hands were small, slender and pale, the reminded him of his mum's hands, artists hands. It was interesting the things he was noticing about the Lovegood girl, the more she seemed to run into him.

"If you insist." He grumbled, allowing her to help him up, surprised by her ability to help him stand without swaying and support half his weight as he draped an arm around her shoulders.

He was surprised further when she made it all the way to the Hospital wing, supporting his weight and helping him without so much as breaking a sweat. Poppy bustled from the office, looking worriedly between the two.

"He hasn't been feeling well, Madam Pomfrey, I believe he has not taken my advice on food and Gillywater." She smiled dreamily, handed him off to the mediwitch who helped settle him into a cot, and stood near the doorway watching them.

"Thank you Luna, you should be getting back to your classes now dear." Poppy chided, giving the girl a strange look. Severus watched between them, unsure what exactly it was that passed between the two.

"Yes…" She breathed, looking a little sad as she turned her eyes back to him, lying on the cot.  
"Would you like for me to notify the Headmistress and assist with your classes or would you prefer they were cancelled for the day sir?" Her tone sounded different but he was too tired to quite put a finger on it.

"Finish the classes until your free block is over, I should be well enough by them. I will notify the Headmistress myself." Severus glared at Poppy who was fussing over his pillow.  
"Quit your fussing woman, it is unnecessary." He snapped.

"Yes sir." She turned to leave, he caught her by clearing his throat and she paused, turning back to him with her fingers hooked in front of her.

"My lesson plans are in the top left drawer of my desk. Do. Not. Screw. Up. Ms. Lovegood, I cannot afford to have injured students running about." She nodded her agreement and turned to leave, not sparing the mediwitch another look.

"That girl, nothing but trouble just like her mum, always experimenting with something, and all those natural remedies. Sometimes the cure is good old magic and she should know it as well as anyone else. Gillywater." The witch scoffed as she thrust a potion into Severus' hand. He furrowed his brow, staring first at the potion and then at Poppy.

He wasn't sure what it was about the mediwitch's grumblings but they annoyed him.

"I find that most of our magical remedies are very much based in natural healing, are they not?" His voice sounded much harsher than he intended but, as if it was water on a duck she simply allowed his words to roll off and rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes, yes, of course. I'm just saying- Gillywater, the insanity of it all." She huffed and turned to leave him to his own devices. He glared at her back, unsure why he felt protective of the obviously out of her mind student.


	4. Chapter 3

Luna scrubbed at the first cauldron on the pile in front of her happily, her eyes set on her task and her mind drifting as she made certain to watch for Wurmongurs as she worked. Professor Snape sat behind his desk, a little way away from her, grading papers.

The room was silent but for the scratch of quill on parchment and the soft sound of her scrubbing the cauldron.

"It's nice, isn't it? Having someone to sit in silence with you." She observed, she was only half paying attention to the fact she'd even spoken and it startled her when the Professor responded.

"Yes, when the company you keep is capable of remaining silent." It held the same vitriol as any of his other retorts and she smiled to herself, settling the now clean cauldron aside and starting on another.

"I wonder, Professor, what do you do in your free time? You're a solitary man so you must not do much. I like to imagine you spend a lot of time reading, that seems like something you would do. You always smell like firewhiskey, so I can only assume it is your favorite, and fireplace, you have the distinct smell of burning wood that clings to you. It's interesting because given the evidence you must spend quite a lot of your time reading, and drinking in front of the fireplace. Do you ever get lonely whilst reading?" She looked up as she started on the next cauldron to see him staring at her with wide eyes.  
"Have I said something wrong, sir?"

"I think that should be enough for this evening, Ms. Lovegood. Perhaps you should return during your free blocks as you suggested to clean more." He had averted his gaze from her. His voice sounded strange to her ears, strained.

"I apologize for stressing you, Professor. I would be more than happy to return tomorrow." She gave him a broad smile, which was met with a dark look before she drifted from the classroom. Wondering what she'd said to earn that look.

Luna was aware she said things often that made people uncomfortable, that the truth was something many people either couldn't, or were unwilling to see and acknowledge. She hoped she'd not upset him in some way, she liked being in his company, he had a very soothing presence about him, something she could become accustomed to.

"At night they come without being fetched. By day they are lost without being stolen. What are they?" Luna stared for a moment, her tongue poking between her lips in concentration.

"The stars."

"Very good." She entered the Ravenclaw common room to find it entirely empty, which was not surprising as it was near on three in the morning. Heading into her dorm room, shared with three other Ravenclaw seventh years she crawled back into her bed, not bothering to change out of her clothes, and slipped off to sleep, feeling much better than she had when she'd left earlier in the evening.

Severus sat behind his desk for a long moment after the witch left.

He never would have expected anyone to pay so much attention to him. He lifted the front of his robes and smelled them. The musk of dungeons was there, but certainly, there was the soft scent of wood smoke.

When had she ever been close enough to him to smell it?

He'd watched her drift from the classroom, completely dumbfounded at the idea that anyone noticed his habits, his mannerisms. Perhaps Luna Lovegood was not as oblivious as he'd once thought.

Standing was a task, when he was as exhausted as he was and it took quite a lot of work to stumble to his bed, he was asleep the moment he collapsed into the slick covers. Bliss, his dreams were bliss.

Severus woke with a start to the feeling of eyes on him and immediately had his wand in hand, wide black eyes locked on silvery orbs staring down at him.

"Ms. Lovegood, how in Merlin's name did you get in here?" He groaned, rubbing at his head and she smiled, appearing to be not at all bothered by the wand pointed at her face.

"I grew concerned when your first class entered and you were not yet in attendance, guessing your password was rather simple and your wards, were expert but very similar to those my father uses." She smiled, her voice dreamy and he lowered his wand.

Her long blonde hair was draped around him, a little braid hanging amidst the strands, wand tucked behind her ear as usual.

"My class?" He was still having a difficult time getting his bearings. He'd never felt quite so exhausted as he had the night before, he still needed sleep. His body was begging for it.

"Yes Professor. I told them I am your assistant, I hope you do not mind, and set them to work memorizing the ingredients and stirring methods for a simple potion in the beginning of the book. If I recall first year you did not favor brewing until second term." She smiled. His head throbbed.

"Yes, yes, if you could please be quiet now Ms. Lovegood." He closed his eyes, pressing fingers to his temples.

"If you'd like I could retrieve Madam Pomfrey." She offered, voice lowered considerably and he opened his eyes to see her looming over him still. She had her arms folded behind her back, and that smile still plastered on her face.

He waved a hand, forcing her to back away some and giving him more space to breathe.

He would need to find how out she'd gotten his password immediately after resolving his terrible headache.

"I'm sure I can make it to the hospital wing on my own." He grumbled, sat up and tossed his legs over the edge of the bed, he swayed dizzily before gaining his bearings.

"If you're certain sir, it really is no trouble. I gave the first years Homework and I would be happy to take you and be back in time to settle the second years in." She offered a hand, one that had been behind her back, to him and he stared at it.

Her hands were small, slender and pale, the reminded him of his mum's hands, artists hands. It was interesting the things he was noticing about the Lovegood girl, the more she seemed to run into him.

"If you insist." He grumbled, allowing her to help him up, surprised by her ability to help him stand without swaying and support half his weight as he draped an arm around her shoulders.

He was surprised further when she made it all the way to the Hospital wing, supporting his weight and helping him without so much as breaking a sweat. Poppy bustled from the office, looking worriedly between the two.

"He hasn't been feeling well, Madam Pomfrey, I believe he has not taken my advice on food and Gillywater." She smiled dreamily, handed him off to the mediwitch who helped settle him into a cot, and stood near the doorway watching them.

"Thank you Luna, you should be getting back to your classes now dear." Poppy chided, giving the girl a strange look. Severus watched between them, unsure what exactly it was that passed between the two.

"Yes…" She breathed, looking a little sad as she turned her eyes back to him, lying on the cot.  
"Would you like for me to notify the Headmistress and assist with your classes or would you prefer they were cancelled for the day sir?" Her tone sounded different but he was too tired to quite put a finger on it.

"Finish the classes until your free block is over, I should be well enough by them. I will notify the Headmistress myself." Severus glared at Poppy who was fussing over his pillow.  
"Quit your fussing woman, it is unnecessary." He snapped.

"Yes sir." She turned to leave, he caught her by clearing his throat and she paused, turning back to him with her fingers hooked in front of her.

"My lesson plans are in the top left drawer of my desk. Do. Not. Screw. Up. Ms. Lovegood, I cannot afford to have injured students running about." She nodded her agreement and turned to leave, not sparing the mediwitch another look.

"That girl, nothing but trouble just like her mum, always experimenting with something, and all those natural remedies. Sometimes the cure is good old magic and she should know it as well as anyone else. Gillywater." The witch scoffed as she thrust a potion into Severus' hand. He furrowed his brow, staring first at the potion and then at Poppy.

He wasn't sure what it was about the mediwitch's grumblings but they annoyed him.

"I find that most of our magical remedies are very much based in natural healing, are they not?" His voice sounded much harsher than he intended but, as if it was water on a duck she simply allowed his words to roll off and rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes, yes, of course. I'm just saying- Gillywater, the insanity of it all." She huffed and turned to leave him to his own devices. He glared at her back, unsure why he felt protective of the obviously out of her mind student.


	5. Chapter 4

"Ms. Lovegood did a fantastic job acting as your assistant yesterday." Severus regarded Minerva with cool indifference, watching the witch, curious what exactly it was she had up her sleeve.

"She did." He agreed, watching her with dark eyes, waiting for the her to tell him what was really going through her head, she smiled.

"I know you're taking Mr. Malfoy as an apprentice and he will be taking up quite a bit of your time. Perhaps it would do you some good to have a more permanent arrangement with Ms. Lovegood." She cocked an eyebrow at him and he glared.

He knew it!

First, she'd forced him to take an apprentice, he'd been so lucky Draco was interested, and now she wanted him to take on a bloody assistant.

"Before you overreact I'm thinking of your health. You aren't in the best of spirits since the war and Ms. Lovegood does have a rather large free block of time. She could assist with your first through fourth years, I'm certain she's more than capable after assisting in your classes while you were ill. She will also be helpful in all of the grading you have to do, leaving you more time to train Mr. Malfoy as a potions master before you retire." Her eyes were sparkling, a look he'd seen too many times.

There was no use fighting it, and even if he wanted to fight, had the energy to, he wouldn't win.

"I do not think it wise to have such a spacey child leading a class…" He trailed, picking his own brain for reasons not to have to spend more time in the girl's presence. When she looked at him he had the strange sensation she was looking through him- he didn't like it.

"This will be perfect practical experience for the girl! She plans to train under Hagrid after a year of study under the great Newt Scamander, and take over care of magical creatures so that he can resume his duties as caretaker and groundskeeper, and Argus can finally retire. You know he's very tired of dealing with the children, Severus, and as a Squib he has not nearly so many years ahead of him as we do." She spoke reason. He hated it.

He cleared his throat, shuffling as he tried to come up with another reason she shouldn't be his assistant.

"Fine, but when she pushes me to the brink, her tears are on your hands, woman." He glowered. Minerva smiled, wide and proud.

"You won't make her cry dear boy! In fact, I doubt the girl has shed a tear since her mother passed away, there is much more to her than others around here give her credit for. Flitwick is quite proud of her, she excels even for a Ravenclaw. You realize she was only a few points shy of tying with Hermione Granger on her O. and she had the best scores in her year."

"She's still a loony chatterbox." He grumbled, standing from his chair and straightening his robes, effectively signaling the end of their conversation.

"I'll have her notified she will be assisting you during her free blocks and in the evenings at your discretion. Oh, and Severus?" He turned, looking the woman in the eye, her stern face softened considerably.  
"Do try to get some rest, would you, you're looking rather sick."

"Perhaps you think I should drink more Gillywater as well?" He cocked an eyebrow, earning a broad smile from the elder witch.

"Well, I have heard it does wonders for one's stamina, as well as overall health." She laughed at the scowl on his face as he turned and stormed from the office.

Bloody witch, lucky she was like a mother to him.

Luna smiled when she received the news she would be helping Professor Snape from her next free block on. She truly did enjoy his company, despite his surly demeanor and it made her feel good to know she was going to be able to do something to help him.

He definitely needed more rest, and to eat more. It was a wonder he was able to stand at all in the state he left himself in.

She smiled at Madam Pince as she handed her the bright lily flower she'd planned to give her the day before. Her Wednesday had just been so busy that she'd not been able to stop by the library as she usually would.

"Sorry I'm so late, I hope you weren't too lonely." She spoke softly, always respectful of the librarian's rules and the woman gave her a curt nod. She wasn't much more pleasant than Professor Snape, after all, she was however one of the youngest staff members present and incredibly kind under her sharp façade.

"I had wondered if you were ill, thank you, Ms. Lovegood, this will look very nice with the others." Of course the flowers she brought were charmed not to wilt, they stayed looking fresh for as long as the Librarian wanted them and she'd gathered quite a large bouquet over the years, having to expand her vase every so many months to fit the many flowers Luna brought her.

"Thank you for the things you do." Luna acknowledged and turned to leave, she spotted Hermione and Ginny, sitting off to the side of the room, the brunette with a large charms tome in front of her and the redhead a quidditch magazine. She smiled dreamily at the pair, they were going to have a happy life, she just knew it, before she turned and left the room.

"There you are, Loony!" A boy exclaimed, a Ravenclaw seventh year named Fredrick, she turned to give him a look as he caught up to her, standing in front of her with a devious smirk on his face.

"My mate Jake was wondering if you wanted to go on a date with him." Luna furrowed her brow, her tongue caught between her lips in thought as she stared up at the young man.

"I'm sorry, I don't know a Jake, I'm certain that if he would come to me I would happily say yes." She smiled, the dreamy look coming back over her face as she made to walk around the boy, he stopped her with a hand.

"Come on, just say yes and meet him down by the lake to make your plans." She regarded him for another long moment before nodding.

"Okay, I'm sure there will be Wrackspurts about around Seven." She glanced away, beginning to walk in the other direction. He stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"He wanted to meet later, nine?"

She gave an airy sigh, obviously done with the conversation.

"Okay then." She drifted away, not sparing the boy another look. She made her way to the Great Hall for dinner. Looking forward to a good meal, she would be helping Professor Snape in the morning, she needed to make sure she had some rest after she met with the boy, what had his name been?

Jack? No, that didn't sound right. She shrugged at her thoughts and smiled when a plate of her favorite fruits and vegetables appeared in front of her. The house elves at Hogwarts were very considerate, understanding her choices not to eat meat and giving her the foods that suited her preference. As always she drank Gillywater with her meal.

She would forever stand by her assertion that it was good for one's health.

Luna sat by the lake, her toes wiggling in the water as she stared out over the expanse of dark water.

It was nine-thirty, and whoever the boy was, James? Jonah? Jack? Well, she couldn't remember but it was obvious he was not coming. She wondered if this was another one of their pranks, if it was it was silly.

She didn't even know the boy, if they'd intended to crush her they had another thing coming.

She wiggled her toes again, giggling at the feeling of a small fish nipping at her big toe. She saw it coming, just before it happened, she was pushed hard by the shoulders and went flying face first into the lake.

She didn't screech or squeal, she giggled after she flipped to her back, floating in the water and enjoying the little ripples that played at her skin. Staring up at the night sky, the breath floating in front of her face and the stars twinkling above her.

She loved staring into the stars, she enjoyed painting them as well. Though they always seemed to bring to mind a certain Professor's eyes.

She didn't mind though, she liked thinking about him.

Luna waved her arms at her sides, her incredibly long blonde hair fanning around her and moving with the waves of her arms as she simply floated. She knew of course, about the creatures that lived inside the lake, still though, she wasn't afraid.

She found she wasn't often frightened of anything, and thought it was silly when others were, they were simply scared of the unknown. She wasn't, she enjoyed the unknown, she liked the not knowing, the discovery.

"Get out of that water, this instant." A dark voice growled, familiar to her ears and her head shot up out of the water. She smiled broadly.

"Why hello Professor!" She let her legs fall below her and waved, her head bobbing up out of the water, she'd drifted quite a way from the shore she'd sat on.  
"The water is quite lovely, though I would have preferred warning before I was pushed in so that my robes did not become soiled."

"Ms. Lovegood, come to me, we can talk about the lovely water when you are safe and dry." She tipped her head at him, she'd been contemplating drifting a bit longer but the look on his face was one she was unfamiliar with from the black clad Professor.

She nodded and began to swim, rather adeptly, toward the edge of the water. Her body was shivering when he helped to haul her out and wrapped her in his heavy cloak. She smiled, her hair clinging to her face and neck and shrugged.

"It really was a nice night for a swim."


	6. Chapter 5

"Are you ready to explain why you were having a swim in the lake now?" Luna was wrapped in a blanket, sitting in front of a fireplace in Professor Snape's office. He looked annoyed, not that she could focus on that, she was far too busy comparing his eyes to the night sky.

"Did you know that your eyes look like the sky over the black lake?" She spoke softly, her voice sounded a bit distracted, even to herself.

He gave her a look, one she thought may be surprise but it was gone so quickly she couldn't be certain, she smiled.

"Honestly, they have little bits of silver in them, that remind me of the stars, they're dark grey, aren't they? Not black at all, like everyone thinks. They're very lovely." She finished, still staring him straight in the face. She felt a little embarrassed at saying all of that out loud but, in the same vein it was who she was, she always spoke her mind.

It was what made her Luna.

"That's very, ahem, kind of you to say, Ms. Lovegood." He looked away, and then back for a moment before he set his face again.  
"But that does not distract from the fact that you were out after curfew, swimming in the black lake." He reprimanded, she liked his tone when he was trying to be intimidating. It took everything in her to bite her tongue and stop herself from telling him that fact.

"I'm sorry sir, I was waiting for a boy, he wanted to talk to me about taking me on a date- though I think now that may have been a very silly rouse, and someone pushed me in. I simply enjoyed the situation as it was presented to me. There was no need to be upset, after all." He was staring at her now, dark eyes boring into hers.

She gave a soft smile and pulled the cover from around her shoulders, her hair was still half wet, and clinging to her. Her wand was still tucked behind her ear, though it wobbled without her hair to hold it in place.

He crossed to her in two long strides and pulled the blanket back around her shoulders, clasping it tightly at the front.

"If you would, I'd rather my new assistant did not freeze to death before she's even begun her duties." She tipped her head as he stepped away and a smile crossed her face.

"I should be going to bed, sir, you should consider a night swim sometime, it's very freeing." She breezed from the office, blanket still clutched around her shoulders, smelling strongly of wood smoke.

"I am tall when I am young, but grow smaller as I age, what am I?" Luna huffed a breath, annoyed someone had changed the riddle to enter the dorm again.

"A candle."

"Very good." And she was allowed inside, she carried the throw blanket up the stairs with her and settled it reverently on her bed as she changed from her school robes. Her butterbeer cap necklace was still damp so she hung it on the post of her bed before she finished dressing down and pulled on another oversized Ravenclaw jumper and dry pair of knickers, she didn't bother with shorts as she crawled into the bed.

She pulled the blanket with her, wrapping her arms around it near her face so she could inhale the subtle smell of wood smoke and potions before she drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Her dreams this night revolved around her future, and a cute set of twins, a boy and girl, with deep black hair and pale silvery eyes.

Severus had a difficult time believing how calm the blonde witch had been as she left his office. She was frozen to the bone, and couldn't have been comfortable but had not complained at all.

More than that she'd had a very wicked prank played on her and had been pushed into the lake, a dangerous place by day, much less in the evening.

He was most baffled by the fact that she had simply stayed in the water, choosing to float and telling him it was a lovely night to swim. Despite the wonderfully temperate days the nights were cold, their breaths danced in front of them and she'd said it was a pleasant swim.

He didn't even begin to know how to take the girl, she was mad. She had to be! No sense of self-preservation what-so-ever. Of that he was absolutely certain.

His mind was stuck on one thing in particular however, the way she'd stared at him, right into his eyes.

Like the night sky, she'd said, she'd commented on seeing little bits of silver in his eyes.

She realized they were not black but instead a very dark grey, a feature that most did not take the time to discern. And the way she'd looked at him, right in the face, saying what she thought without even a moment to second guess herself.

He forced himself to stop dwelling on the moment, on the way her wet hair clung to the sides of her face. The way her pale silvery eyes stared straight into him, and certainly he didn't want to think on the fact that she was no longer a girl. No, the way her robes had clung to her, the soft curves, he hated to admit that she, just like her mother had been, was a beautiful example of a witch.

She was strange just like her mother as well.

He shook his head and glanced to the glass bottle of Gillywater sitting on his tea table. His eyes narrowed in on the bottle, staring at the water, a slight green tinge to it.

It was unpleasant to drink at best.

"What the hell." He grumbled, walking over and uncorking the bottle, it sprung free with a pop, and he pocketed it, thinking of his assistant's necklace, the one made of corks that she often wore outside of her robes.

The Professors had given up making her stop wearing outlandish jewelry and altering her robes her first year. Nothing short of expulsion would stop her and even the strictest of Professors- himself- had agreed that was a tad overboard for self-expression. It of course helped her that Dumbledore had been such an eccentric.

He very much disliked the taste of Gillywater and so, it was with a heaved breath that he took several long swigs from the bottle, draining it with record speed before setting it back onto the table and grimacing at the taste while heaving a deep breath.

He shifted his gaze to the foot that sat beside it, still warmed by a charm from the house elves. He pursed his lips, still he had no appetite, no, he would not be eating this night either.

He left the plate where it sat, untouched, and strode into his private bath for a shower before bed. He needed to brush his teeth as well, the flavor of the Gillywater still clung to his taste buds, almost refusing to be gone.

"Luna, can I talk to you?" Ginny caught her outside of her Charms class, large brown eyes wide as she gave the blonde witch a pleading look. Luna nodded, tipping her head as she allowed her friend to drag her down the hall and into the girl's lavatory. The redhead cast a silencing charm before she fell back against the wall, heaving a breath.

"I think I'm in love." Luna nodded, her eyes smiling with her lips.

"With Hermione Granger, you really do make quite the lovely couple." Ginny gave her a wide-eyed look, her mouth hanging open slightly, in classic Weasley fashion. Luna gave a melodic giggle.  
"It's quite obvious, after all, you spend all of your time together, you touch one another any chance you have. I think you will have a wonderful future together." Ginny shook her head, her eyes shooting to the floor.

"No, I don't think she likes girls that way. I think, I think she has a thing for Ron still…"

"And that's why you wanted to talk to me?" Luna tipped her head the other direction, her wide, perceptive eyes locked on the slightly taller witch.

"Yes, yes, what should I do, should I tell her? Should I leave it be? What if I ruin our relationship? Luna! I know you see things that other people don't, please, what should I do?"

The blonde cleared her throat and pulled her wand from behind her ear, she called on a memory, a time she'd been watching the two witches together, the look in Hermione's eyes as she'd watched them.

She drew quickly, knowing Ginny was losing patience and when she was done, which only took a few moments, the image cast bright colors across their skin. Ginny and Hermione were sitting close together, obviously discussing something when Ginny looked up and away, Hermione's eyes remained on the other witch, unwavering, glimmering.

"Merlin Luna…" Ginny heaved a breath, staring at the image, she reached out, as if she could touch it with her fingers but they passed through the colors, not obstructing the image.

"I could paint a real one for you, if you like. This one is messy but I put the detail where it matters. You see, her eyes, the way she looks at you? She doesn't care a thing for your brother, at least, not from what I've seen. I think she loves you." Ginny turned to her, her brown eyes wide.

"You really think so?" Her voice was a near whisper, Luna nodded.

"So, if your question is still what you should do, I think you should ask her to be with you, I think you should treasure what you have together because your future together is beautiful." She waved her wand, the image vanished and she stowed the wood behind her ear again, Ginny gave her a broad smile.

"I'm sorry I ever called you Loony Lovegood!" She wrapped her in a hug and Luna smiled, patting her friend's back, eyes dreamy as she stared at the wall over Ginny's shoulder.

"Don't be, we should never be sorry for the things that make us who we are." She gave a dreamy smile and drifted away, turning to catch Ginny's eyes one more time.

"I can have that painting for you sometime soon, as soon as I have some free time."

"Thanks Luna."

She didn't respond, only left the lavatory and made her way to her next class, she'd be late, but they hardly asked why anymore.


	7. Chapter 6

Severus watched as the usually wayward Luna Lovegood instructed his class on the brewing of a simple draught of healing. It was one he often taught to beginning second years and easy enough Neville Longbottom would have been able to brew it, and he'd thought that boy incompetent for the longest time.

He found he felt better today than he had the day before. He'd still not been able to eat more than a few bites and Lunch was fast approaching, meaning Lovegood's time teaching his class would be complete. She'd proven to be quite talented at handling his students, though she did so without intimidation tactics and instead it seemed she had a tendency to frighten them into obedience.

"Did you know, that when a person does not follow instruction in a potions lab they often find themselves without an appendage. Yes, it is a very limbless and painful future I see for you if you do not first cut that bean instead of simply mashing it whole." The boy she had her gaze locked on turned bright red and began to shake.

He knew she wasn't trying to frighten the students, and that was what made it all the better. Her blunt way of speaking, her truthful nature, and her dreamy tone and eyes made them nervous.

He watched as she drifted up and down the aisles before standing and instructing the students to put their potions in vials and bring them to his desk for grading. They packed away their kits and turned in their potions before fleeing as quickly as possible.

Lovegood drifted toward his desk, standing in front of him and folding her arms across her chest. He doubted he wanted to hear what she was going to stay- he also knew trying to stop her from saying it was like attempting to stop the flow of water with a piece of cheesecloth.

Not very bloody likely.

"Professor, you still haven't eaten, would you like to have lunch with me? I think sometimes a companion can make the things we don't want to do much better." Her tone was smooth, that same dreamy lilt that he was growing accustomed to and he stared up at her for a long moment.

"If I say no you're going to stay regardless, are you not?" He massaged his temple at her nod and smile. A house elf appeared with an assortment of fruits, vegetables, and pastries.

He stared at the meal with a cocked eyebrow. There was not a single piece of meat to be seen.

"I hope you do not mind sir, I have a preference for fruits and vegetables. You should try this." She jabbed her fork into a bright yellow piece of fruit and held it up.

Severus stared at it for a long moment before looking at the witch sitting in front of him. Her eyes were locked on his face, once again doing that thing where they seemed to be looking through them and he swallowed, snatched the fork from her fingers and stuffed the piece of fruit in his mouth.

She gave him a broad smile, sipped the familiar looking drink in her goblet, and ate her own piece of fruit.

"I presume you've summoned Gillywater for me as well?" He glowered, she looked him in the face, unfazed and gave a soft nod.

"I assure you sir, if you would drink just two bottles of it a day it would do wonders for your health." Her voice was still dreamy and he sniffed, but took a long swig of the water regardless, finishing it as quickly as possible before stuffing another piece of fruit in his mouth to kill the taste.

He felt ill at the prospect of eating but for some reason, with her sat across from him, smiling softly and encouraging him to eat he managed to have more than he had in a week, in one meal.

"Miss Lovegood, you can sit, you are aware?" He realized she was standing rather belatedly and she nodded.

"I know sir, I simply enjoy standing, it helps digestion you know."

"You are a wealth of knowledge aren't you?" He grunted, sarcastically but if she noticed she said nothing as she nodded and gave him another sweet smile.

He couldn't help but admire the little dimple in her right cheek, and the fact she didn't have one in the other. It was- cute.

Luna watched her Professor eat as much as she knew he could stomach, trying to be encouraging and couldn't help her smile of joy when he drank the Gillywater that had been provided for him completely. She was pleased he was trying to do something for his health.

She hoped he carried on, even when she wasn't there to stare him down.

"I just want you to know, Professor, you are an important person and important people need to take care of themselves. You mean a lot to the school, and the other Professors. I know Professor Trelawney fancies you, and while I know you do not return her feelings she, and so many others would be crushed if you allowed yourself to starve to death, or die of exhaustion." She was gathering up her things as she spoke, she could feel his eyes on her. She looked up at him, catching his gaze.

It was almost unnerving the way he stared straight through her.

"Miss Lovegood." He caught her, just as she was pulling the strap of her bag onto her shoulder and turning to leave. She turned back, letting the smile drift onto her face as she locked on to his gaze again.  
"This evening after dinner I will require your help, do not be too late." She nodded, her wand bobbing beside her face.

"Yes sir." She drifted from the room, still feeling those eyes on her back.

She wondered what was going through his head. Too bad she wasn't a mind reader.

"What are you doing now, Loony, looking for something your mad daddy made up I'm sure." A voice taunted, she was actually only collecting beetles, trying to find the ones with the prettiest wings so that she could keep them and make earrings out of their shells when they came to a natural end.

"What did you say?" She turned, voice sharp as she locked eyes with the boy that had sent her to the lake two days prior. She crossed her arms across her chest, doing her best to look intimidating, though she knew five-foot-nothing blondes weren't often considered intimidating.

"What, upset people know the truth about your crazy papa?" He teased and she bit the inside of her cheek, her silvery eyes steely as they narrowed on the boy.

"Oy, leave Luna alone, if your attitude is anything to go by you are far worse than her father." A familiar voice called and both turned to look at the owner.

"Hi Harry!" She exclaimed happily, dreamy tone coming back as she watched her friend working his way up the hill to where they stood.

"Hey Luna, it's good to see you." He wrapped her in a hug, that she returned happily while the boy- what was his name again? Fredrico? Oh well. Stared at them dumbstruck.

"Harry Potter? Y-You're Harry Potter!"

Harry's green eyes narrowed on the boy and Luna gave him a dreamy smile, her eyes flitting between the two for a moment before she grew bored and turned back to her beetles. She could still hear them speaking.

"Yes, and you're not doing my house any justice acting like that. Gryffindors are meant to be loyal and brave, not rude and snide." He snapped, Luna felt him flick a glance in her direction but she was far too wrapped up in her bugs now.  
"Frankly, my fiancé is a Slytherin and he carries himself with more grace than you, and his insults are not nearly so lame."

She heard Harry turn and then he was knelt beside her, looking at the ground where her fingers were skimming the loose dirt.

"So, what are we looking for today?" She turned to him with a bright smile. Harry was a great guy, she just adored him.

"Why are you here? Blue winged beetles." She grinned and he chuckled before helping her pick at the loose dirt and grass.

"Draco has training with Snape, I thought I'd come see everyone while he was here, McGonagall and I just finished talking about what I'm going to do when I finish Auror training. She wants me to come teach Defense."

"Are you going to?" Luna tipped her head, her eyes locked on the side of his face as he dug. Floppy black hair fell into his eyes and he brushed it back with the back of his hand.

"I dunno, seems like a good opportunity and then Draco and me would be here together." He shrugged and they both sat back, giving up the search for a few minutes.

She trapped her tongue between her lips before sucking them into her mouth, contemplating her opinion on the subject.

"I think you should do it." She finally said confidently, turning to give him a look.

He cocked an eyebrow at her, green eyes glimmering on her face.

"Well, think of it this way, it seems that everyone is contemplating position as a Professor here. Hermione will be taking over Charms, Cho is teaching transfiguration in Headmistress McGonagall's stead. Neville plans to take over for Professor Sprout, Draco is taking Professor Snape's position, though that will come later than the others, and I'm taking Care of Magical Creatures from Hagrid."

He smiled at her broadly, giving a nod.

"What's one more Professor from our generation, is what you're saying." He cocked an eyebrow and she nodded with a giggle. He could tell he was losing her when her focus drifted across to something else.

He wondered if anyone would ever be able to maintain her full attention. Harry truly didn't think so.

"Harry, are you ready to go home?" Draco found them, as if he had a homing beacon on the dark-haired boy and Luna looked up to see Draco with Snape trailing behind him. She stood and gave Harry a brief hug.

"Good luck, I know no matter what your future is looking up."

"I won't even ask." Harry laughed and hooked arms with his fiancé. Luna turned to look back at Professor Snape who was staring at her with and interested look on his face. She waved a goodbye to Harry and Draco before she drifted over to him.

"Look at you, out here without shoes on, you simply insist on doing things to make yourself sick, don't you?" She followed his gaze to her feet and curled her toes in the grass, looking back up at him.

"You have very nice hands, I'll bet you have lovely feet as well." She grinned, before turning and walking away, she could hear his cloak dragging the ground behind him as he followed her. Long strides brought him to her side rather quickly.

"I won't comment on how unusual that statement was, honestly witch, why are you not wearing shoes?" She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, he was staring down at her feet still, watching as she stepped across the ground.

"My housemates have been hiding my shoes since first year. It's really nothing to worry about." She shrugged and gave him a broad smile, playing with her wand hooked behind her ear.

"First year? Merlin." He grunted, giving her one more look before allowing them to settle into silence. She walked beside him, her hand brushing his every so often as her arms swung beside her.


	8. Chapter 7

"Do your feet not hurt?" Severus questioned, it was eating at him and he just couldn't hold himself back any longer. He'd been watching the witch grade papers for the better part of an hour, having taken their dinners together in his classroom before beginning promptly on work that needed to be done.

She looked up at him, big silvery eyes wide as they caught with his.

"I don't suppose so, sometimes they get cut, and they ache if I do too much walking outside but most of my time is spent inside here so it is perfectly tolerable. I'm very surprised it bothers you, Professor." She smiled before turning back to her parchments, as if that were the end of the conversation. Severus shifted in his seat, his eyes still lingering on the blonde witch.

He honestly had no idea why it bothered him so much that she suffered at the hands of her peers but it did. Perhaps he saw in her something like a kindred spirit. He'd been tormented as a student for being different, he'd certainly handled it differently but it didn't change the fact she was experiencing much the same treatment he did.

"I think you should have a conversation with your head of house, this should be dealt with." Her head shot up, eyes locking on his face again.

She moved so fast her wand was shifted from its position behind her ear and fell to the floor with a clatter, rattling across the stone floor.

"Oh, no, it's perfectly fine, I really don't mind Professor." She jumped from her seat and crawled across the floor, chasing her wand as it rolled across the stones, bouncing off of desks.

"Accio wand." Severus called with a sigh and held his hand out for the small, intricately carved piece of wood as it shot through the air and landed in his open palm. Lovegood stood, eyeing her wand in his hand and walking towards him as if she didn't have a concern in the world about approaching him.

He held the wood out to her, still caught on the delicate and intricate carvings in the wood.

"It's a story, sir." She spoke and his eyes shot up to hers, caught in her silvery gaze again as she rolled the wand in her fingers.  
"When Mr. Ollivander and I were trapped in Malfoy Manor my wand was broken, he made me another one, especially for me, as soon as we were out. He carved this story into it, and explained to me that it was my story. He called her 'the girl who mends hearts' because I was his friend when he was trapped in there and we went through a lot of things together." She smiled, he was fast realizing that her dreamy tone simply was, no matter what she talked about her voice was soft and melodic, always sounding a bit distracted. That wasn't the case however, she knew exactly what she was talking about, and who she was talking to.

She twirled the wand in her fingers, the wood looked perfect in her hand, before she slipped it behind her ear once more and knocked a few wayward strands of blonde hair into her face.

He pushed it away, not really realizing what he was doing until it was already done. Severus dropped his hand immediately, dangerously aware of her proximity, of her unique scent of lemongrass and melon. It was strange, fresh and crisp.

He needed her to back away, not to stand so close to him. Instead she only watched him, those wide eyes holding him captive.

"That is a very nice story, Ms. Lovegood. I regret you were forced to withstand such torture at the hands of the Death Eaters." He tried to make himself stop talking, but the words simply poured out she gave him a dreamy smile.

"It's quite alright sir, you had quite a bit more on your plate than the rest of us. You had to do terrible things while you were headmaster as well, and allow such bad things to happen. I'm truly happy for you, that you have a chance to live your life as a free man." She turned and drifted back to her seat, he watched her go, his heart in his throat.

How much had she observed, exactly? How much attention had she given in those days? He knew she'd tried to steal the sword of Gryffindor for the Golden Trio, he knew she'd helped lead Dumbledore's Army even after the Trio was gone.

Of course he'd known, and he'd turned a blind eye, knowing the students they were training were learning important skills that they would need in the upcoming war. Skills he could have given them if Albus had just given him the bloody position he'd always wanted.

He heaved a breath and returned to his seat, working on his own grading, as well as planning a brewing course for Draco.

"I've finished this group Sir; would you like for me to grade more?" Luna looked up to see Professor Snape leaned over his desk, eyes closed and breathing even. She smiled to herself, realizing he'd fallen asleep over his grading and she moved stealthily over to the man, making sure not to make a sound as she moved across the stone floor in her bare feet.

They did come in handy for something after all, silence.

She cast a silent Levicorpus, something she'd been practicing in her free time and muttered his password, Lily, to gain entrance into his private quarters. It was easy to guide him soundlessly with her wand until he was settled in his bed, atop the duvet. She pulled a throw blanket, one that matched the one she'd taken from him, from the back of a chair that sat in the corner of the small room and draped it over him. Taking care to pull the soft fabric up to his chin.

She smiled again to herself, resisting the urge to push the hair back from his face as she slipped from the room and closed the door, rewarding the door as she went and leaving the man to sleep.

She sat behind his desk, her legs curled under her and finished his grading, careful to mark the papers as she thought he would before she left to go to her own room.

"If I have it, I shouldn't share it, because if I share it, I won't have it, what is it?" Luna smiled, this was one they'd used the year before. They were slacking on their riddles.

"A secret."

"Very good." She was allowed entrance to the common room and she immediately made her way up to her room. She slipped the shorts she wore from her hips and unclasped her bra with the flick of her wand, pulling it off under her Ravenclaw jumper and settling it into her trunk before she hauled herself into her bed.

Immediately she pulled the thick throw blanket she'd taken from Professor Snape to her, curling up against it as she had the few nights since she'd taken it. The warm smell of wood smoke still lingered on it and it made her smile as she drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Her dreams were different this night. She was back in the Malfoy Dungeon, blindfolded and unable to see those around her who were torturing her. She could hear Ollivander calling for help but she couldn't speak to help him. She was in so much pain she almost couldn't bear it and she had to fight to shift the dream, to take control of it.

When she finally had it, the blindfold was gone and she was safe in a bed, a bed that wasn't her own. There was a body beside her, sleeping peacefully and she stared up at a ceiling painted to look like the night sky. The stars glimmered back at her and she smiled at the sound of little feet running toward her.

She sat up just in time for two children to launch themselves into her bed, both around five years old and sporting wild black hair that hung down around their faces, the boy's to his shoulders and the girl's much longer than that.

"Shh, your daddy is still sleeping, why don't we make him breakfast?" She smiled dreamily at the children who nodded and giggled, their hands coming up to cover their cute little mouths, their silvery eyes glinted.

She woke to an alarm, not her own, ringing in the distance and she heard one of her roommates turn it off with a groan before the other three girls in the room began to shift and prepare to get up for the day.

Luna couldn't help herself, she lay there, clutching the blanket and holding her eyes closed, envisioning those sweet faces from her dream the night before.

"It's good to see you two have finally decided be together." Luna smiled dreamily at her friends as she came to sit at the Gryffindor table across form Ginny and Hermione.

"Thank you, for talking her into saying something." The brunette flushed, her arm around the redhead's lower back.  
"She may never have done it if it weren't for you, Luna." Hermione was beaming and it lifted Luna's heart, a pleasant change from the heaviness she'd felt that morning at the premature end to her happy dream.

"I only helped along the inevitable. I think you two will be quite happy together." She smiled and turned back to her food, listening to the chatter of the hall around her. She looked up at the head table just in time to see Professor Snape take a bite of a brightly colored yellow melon. She grinned at him, the grin broadening when he took a drink and pulled a slight face of discomfort, almost imperceptible.

She laughed to herself.

He was taking her advice. Maybe her dreams weren't too farfetched after all.


	9. Chapter 8

Severus woke in his bed, confused first at how he'd gotten there and second at how he ended up covered to his chin. He glanced around him, he could feel his boots were still on his feet and he was wearing his clothing from the day before.

Luna, wait, when had she become Luna? Lovegood!

It had to have been her. He still couldn't understand how she'd figured out his password. As he stood and made his way toward the lavatory for a much-needed shower he groaned, he'd have been miserable if he'd woken up on his desk instead of in the bed.

Leaving to go to breakfast he discovered that his wards were not the same, instead they had a distinct aura to them, something light and decidedly happier than his own magical signature. He wondered why she'd bothered to reconstruct his wards but decided it was not worth pondering over. He needed to finish his grading before his classes began.

He settled in front of his desk, retrieving his ink pot and quill before he looked down at the stack of parchments. He was surprised to find the one on top marked, in a familiar loopy scrawl with little crescent moons dotting the 'i's and swirly lines at the end of most words.

He recognized the scrawl immediately as Luna Lovegood's, having graded her papers many times, he'd even once tried to stop her from making her silly little markings on the words. It hadn't worked, obviously.

He blinked as he thumbed through the papers and realized that each and every one was graded, and strictly at that, corrections where he would have made them, comments on things that needed improvement. The words may not have been as harsh but she'd certainly managed to mirror his strict attention to detail.

It seemed she was always doing something else to surprise him.

He put his ink pot away, glancing down at the parchments one more time he ran his fingers over the words.

There certainly was something special about the girl.

Luna sat at the Ravenclaw table at lunch as Hermione and Ginny had not joined her on her way to the Great Hall for lunch. She moved her food around on her plate, her eyes focused on the brightly colored pieces of fruit. She found for the first time in years she had no appetite, in fact, she felt only a coil of tension in her stomach.

Something bad was going to happen, she could feel it, in the pit of her stomach. She glanced toward the entryway to the great hall and stood, making her way outside, that coil of tension tighter as she drifted

It was growing colder, All Hallows was upon them.

"Ms. Lovegood, is everything okay?" She felt the familiar speeding of her heart, the tenseness in her stomach and sharp spike of discomfort in her neck. She couldn't answer him she was too busy focusing on sensations that could mean nothing but that something bad was going to happen.

She hadn't expected Professor Snape to follow her, his proximity as he came a few steps closer however washed his aura of power over her and she relaxed, her shoulders slumped. She was falling before she really knew what was happening and he'd caught her, staring down into her face.

"Ms. Lovegood? Are you ill?"

"Oh, I'm fine Professor, just fine…" And, as if to punctuate that she was not _actually_ fine, she fainted.

"Well, what's wrong with her then?" Poppy asked as Severus hauled the unconscious Luna Lovegood into the hospital wing. She gave the girl a hard look, he really didn't understand the distaste the two seemed to harbor for one another.

"You are the medic, Poppy, how am I to know?" He sniped, tone annoyed as he lowered her delicately to a cot and stepped back, staring down at her face. Her usually wide eyes were closed, a few locks of blonde hair lay across her face and her wand was still tucked happily behind her ear.

He hadn't really noticed it before but even the witch's lips were quite pale, a light pink that suited her pale complexion.

"Well, perhaps you should have _Trelawney_ come and check on her, I'm certain my healing methods would not be sufficient for them." She huffed, casting a dirty look at the young witch and suddenly it all seemed to click into place.

Of course, Lu-Lovegood was a favorite of Professor Trelawney, he shuddered to think of her, and Poppy and Sybill had a long-standing grudge against one another.

Severus stared down the medic, his dark eyes locked on her face.

"You cannot honestly tell me that you will not take proper care of this student because of a disagreement between yourself and Trelawney. I'm certain that she has given more false predictions than anyone I have ever had the misfortune to meet but, be that as it may, this is not about her, this is about L- Ms. Lovegood." He growled out, glad his slip seemed to have gone unnoticed while Poppy looked between him and the unconscious Ms. Lovegood.

"Of course you're right Severus. I apologize for allowing her to suffer because of my silliness." Severus nodded and took a seat beside her cot.

"Good."

"Don't you have classes?" She gave him a dark look, he wasn't budging.

Not until he was certain his little assistant would be waking up.

"I hardly see why that should matter to you, however, if you must know it is my free-period after lunch." He grunted, eyes not leaving the witch who had her eyes closed.

Poppy was running a diagnostic test with her wand when the girl's hand twitched, Severus watched, interested, perhaps she would wake on her own?

"What was happening when she fainted? She seems to be in perfect health, nothing wrong at all." Poppy commented under her breath at the end, trying to figure out what was wrong with the girl.

"She seemed like she'd gone into shock, but she said she was 'fine' just after she fell, before she fainted." He commented, looking over the girl again, her other hand twitched, her eyes were moving rapidly behind her eyelids, she was dreaming.

"I hate to admit it but I think this may be a situation that requires Sybill." Severus sneered.

"I was, unfortunately, just considering the same option." He stood with a huff and turned to stride from the room.  
"Do summon me if she awakens before I return. I must have words with her."

"Of course, Severus." The medic looked over the girl one more time before pulling a blanket up to her chest and turning to walk away as he exited.

Severus hated talking to Sybill, she flirted ruthlessly with him and had a very difficult time keeping her hands to herself. It was quite frustrating. Despite that the 'seer' if that is what she should be believed to be, was the closest teacher to Luna Lovegood.

She'd been highly displeased when she found the girl was becoming his assistant instead of her apprentice. Though the girl had made it abundantly clear- according to Minerva- that she preferred magical creatures to divination.

"Dear sweet Luna, she has a talent as a Seer, she could do great things if she only worked on honing her skills. You say she looked startled or frightened before she fainted? And that she'd fled the great hall looking startled? It sounds as if she had a feeling, perhaps a bit of a premonition. What is she doing now? Did she mention any feelings she was having before she fainted?" Severus clenched his jaw, forcing down the insults that teetered on the tip of his tongue as he lead the woman to the hospital wing. She kept touching his elbow, his shoulder, it annoyed him so greatly he was fantasizing hexing the witch.

The entered the room to see Ms. Lovegood sitting up, her wide silvery eyes locked on the doorway when they entered.

"Professor! Sybill! So pleasant of you to visit me, I assure you I am fine, I just had a bit of a feeling."

"A feeling Luna, do tell?" Sybill moved and sat at the edge of the bed, Severus eyed them for a moment before casting a tempus for the time. It was not quite time for his class yet, he leant against the wall, arms crossed across his chest as he listened to their conversation.

"Oh yes, it was a rather terrible feeling," she continued in that dreamy voice, "I believe something bad is going to happen, though I can't be certain what."

"Did you have any visions? Did you practice what I taught you?" Sybill was clutching the girl's hands and she tipped her head, wide eyes locked on her face.

"Well no, but I hardly had a chance, it seemed to be rather important that I take a bit of a nap." Her melodic voice washed over him and he was hard pressed to join their conversation, only wishing to listen. That was, until Sybill began to scold the girl for not doing as she'd been taught, for not trying to see more.

She cast her silvery eyes downward, looking hurt and Severus pulled off of the wall.

"I think that's quite enough, Sybill, certainly the girl has had enough for the day. Come, Ms. Lovegood, I will escort you to your common room." He held out a hand to her and she looked up at him, silvery eyes shimmering. Her hand slipped into his, cold as usual and he helped her up, guiding her around the baffled looking seer.

"I'll come to visit you later, Sybill, I promise." She looked over her shoulder to smile at the woman who reminded Severus of a pigeon.  
"I would love to read the leaves with you." She smiled and then turned to look at him, her hand tucked against his bent elbow as it had been just after he'd stood.

She watched him for a long moment and he realized he was the one guiding her movements, she was not paying a bit of attention to where they were going.

"I don't need anyone to rescue me you know, though I really am so happy you seem to be inclined to do so. I rather enjoy your company, a true gentleman is hard to come by these days, or so I've heard. Thank you, Sir." She commented when they came to the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room.

He watched her go with wide eyes, her words swirling in his mind.

Confusing witch, that Luna Lovegood was.


	10. Chapter 9

"Ms. Lovegood, what did you mean when you claimed something bad was going to happen?" Severus finally managed to ask the next day, as they had lunch together before the blonde left for her afternoon classes. She'd done a fine job teaching his class and he'd checked on her regularly, making certain she was having no problems with his students.

It was while he was supervising Draco as he brewed that he couldn't take his mind off of her words.

Something bad? The girl did seem to have a way of knowing things and he wondered what it was she was coming up with now.

"Oh, it's really quite simple Professor, it could be something as drastic as the coming of a new dark lord, it may be something as simple as indigestion." She smiled, her voice dreamy and melodic as always.  
"Truly only time will tell." He blinked at her, watching her for any sign that she knew more than she was letting on.

Finally, he took a deep breath and shook his head, returning to his meal. He had finally worked his way up to near entire meals, it was rather impressive, considering he'd not had much an appetite at all until the blonde had entered his life, trying to coax him into eating, and drinking Gillywater.

He took a drink of his Gillywater, still not pleased with the flavor though it was easier on his taste buds than it had been in the beginning, and of course there was that happy look that crossed her face whenever he took a drink.

He wasn't sure why he liked it when she smiled at him- she smiled at everyone for Merlin's sake, but it felt like he was earning something when she gave him that dreamy grin.

She left him when they'd finished eating, bidding him a good day as she always did and assuring him she would return to assist him with his grading and lesson plans after dinner. He watched her go, eyes lingering on the sway in her walk, the way she kept her head up, and of course, her bare feet against the cold stone. He really did feel like he needed to do something about her shoe situation.

Luna sat outside, reading her usual evening edition of the Quibbler, taking in all of the articles with interest and ease. She laughed at some of them, smiling to herself as she read over the words of people she'd known since she was a child. Her father being the owner and editor of the Quibbler obviously had something to do with that.

" _Loony Lovegood, Loony Lovegood_ …" A few girls sang as they walked past her, their shoes crunching the dying grass underfoot as they strutted by. It was always the younger years that did such things and she wondered if they considered it a rite of passage.

Come to Hogwarts, make fun of Luna, find your place in Hogwarts society.

She laughed a little to herself at her thoughts and turned to her right when Ginny and Hermione fell into place sitting beside her. Hermione on the other side of Luna.

"You'd think they'd grow up and get over it eventually." Ginny commented, shooting a glare at the girls' backs, Luna smiled, shrugging her shoulders and carefully folding her paper as she always did. Certain to keep the nasties that came when one did not fold their papers properly away.

"It really is no problem, everyone needs something to make them feel better after all, and projecting their insecurities onto someone else is the easiest way for them. It really is quite logical when one thinks about it." Ginny gave her a baffled look and a crooked smile.

"You always know just how to take things without ever being upset don't you?" Hermione commented, giving her a look from around Ginny, Luna smiled at her.

"I know you thought me strange when you first met me but everyone has their differences, I'm very pleased we could work through ours to become friends. It means so very much to me to have you all so near to my heart." She smiled again and then stared off into the distance, her mind wandering.

"So, what has you looking so- well- I suppose it really is forlorn for you?" Ginny asked, squinting at her and examining her face. Luna turned back to her, eyes wide and a surprised look on her face.

She was so accustomed to being the one doing the observing she hardly thought others observed her as well.

"Well, to be truthful I think I may fancy a gentleman quite a bit. Though I'm certain he does not, nor could he ever return my feelings." She admitted, staring over at the lake, the sky was turning dark and she had duties to attend as an assistant soon.

"Oh? Who, do tell?" Ginny waggled her eyebrows, Hermione gave her a long look, curiosity burning out of amber eyes.

"I've never heard you say something like that before Luna, it must be very serious." The brunette smiled. Luna fingered the wand she kept hooked behind her ear, the carvings in the wood soothing her nerves. Why did her stomach feel funny at the mere thought of him?

She couldn't understand why she was feeling this way.

"I think it is, I have dreams about him." She hummed thoughtfully, not looking at her friends who were both giving her wide-eyed looks.

"Well, who is it!? Out with it!" Ginny huffed impatiently, eyes boring into the side of her face, Luna turned, giving them a ditzy smile.

"Well Professor Snape of course, who else?" They both blanched, their faces turning as pale as hers as they stared over at her.

"Pro- Professor…"

"Snape?" Luna finished for her girlfriend, bright brown eyes wide on Luna's face as she looked over at them.

"Why yes, is that really so surprising? He's quite a bit different from me don't you think? I really find his presence to be quite lovely, a bit overbearing at times I'll admit, but I don't mind it." She smiled again. She felt like she was missing something. Something big.

Something that had her friends' mouths hanging open as if they were a carnivorous plant attempting to catch flies.

"Wow, well, does he know you fancy him?" Hermione was the first to come to her senses, closing her girlfriends mouth with two fingers as they still watched Luna, Luna who had turned back to stare up at the sky.

"Well, I'm not sure, I would presume not, considering he is constantly thinking about other things. No. I highly doubt he would have even noticed something like that, even if it was completely obvious. As an aside he finds me irritating, not quite grounds for a relationship." She trapped her tongue between her lips thoughtfully.  
"Well, I have to go! Take care, and be safe, I have a feeling something bad is going to happen." She breathed as she stood and drifted casually away, her friends staring at her back as she went.

"If there was ever a perfect girl for Professor Snape." Ginny shook her head, giving Luna's retreating back one more look.

"She'd be the one, nothing ever upsets her, he could be mean to her all-day long." Hermione hummed thoughtfully laying her head against Ginny's shoulder.

"But she doesn't quite deserve that kind of treatment, does she?"

"Who knows, perhaps he is nice to those he cares about." Hermione smiled as Ginny turned to look at her.

"Who's to say he will ever care for her?" The brunette extended her neck, catching the redhead's lips with her own. Both smiled into the kiss, deepening it in a battle of tongues. Hermione hooked her hands into Ginny's hair, smoothing them through the soft locks until they pulled away from one another.

"Who's to say he won't?" She grinned and the redhead immediately launched herself at her again, knocking them back into the grass where they continued to snog until they would be forced to go inside.

"Ah, there you are." Professor Snape spoke when she entered the room, she was a bit later than usual for her meeting with him but she'd hoped he wouldn't mind. She'd gotten quite caught up in talking with Ginny and Hermione.  
"I have something for you, Ms. Lovegood." He disappeared into his office and she glanced at the boy who sat with his head bent over a parchment, writing lines.

 _I will not mess up potions intentionally and threaten the lives of my peers._ He wrote, over and over. She smiled dreamily when Snape came back out of his office and she drifted toward him, curiosity consuming her over what he had in the box in his hands.

He handed them over, watching her closely as she opened the box to find a pair of simple black shoes, but when she touched them they turned bright blue and she gave a little gasp of shock and excitement.

"Oh! But whatever will I do when they steal them?" She looked up at him, wide eyed. She adored them, but she would be very upset is something like a gift were to be stolen. He nodded and pulled his wand.

"I've charmed them so that they will return to you when taken, they won't stay anywhere they are placed that is not within your care." She couldn't help the bright smile that took over her face. Nor could she stop herself from throwing her arms around his waist, wrapping him in the biggest hug she could ever recall having given.

He stood stiffly, for a long moment, his arms extended awkwardly at his sides when she didn't release him right away.

"Do stop your staring, Mr. Gaving, or I would be happy to add to your lines." She released him at his biting tone and stepped back, eyes on the ground at his feet.  
"Well Ms. Lovegood, put them on, this grading cannot be put off." He grumbled and handed the shoes over to her, turning away and striding the rest of the way to his desk. She slipped the shoes onto her feet, grinning as they turned from blue to pink, and resized to fit her feet.

She would need to find a gift for him now, something to return the favor.

"Thank you so much, Professor Snape, I'm certain I'll enjoy them forever." She hummed as she took her stack of grading from his desk and moved to sit at the table the boy writing lines occupied.

Snape cleared his throat.

"You may sit up here this evening as I have a student in detention, I would hate for him to distract from your work." He cast her a quick look as she turned to walk back up to the desk, snatching and pulling a chair with her as she came back up to sit at the side of his desk.

She couldn't help but cast surreptitious glances at him from the corner of her eye. Of course, she also couldn't stop herself from wiggling her toes in her new shoes.

So perhaps someone aside from her friends did realize that she had feelings, after all.


	11. Chapter 10

When Luna woke and her shoes were still at the end of her bed, on her trunk where she'd placed them the night before she'd giggled with a glee she didn't know she could experience and jumped up. Despite the lingering worry that something bad was coming she was happy.

A kind of happy that made her stomach quake and her mind wander- more than it already did, and that was saying something.

It was Saturday, and she had little to do as she knew Hermione and Ginny had been planning a date to Hogsmeade, the village having been opened up to Seventh years so that they could go on the weekend whenever they pleased after the war had ended.

There were of course still Death Eaters on the loose, she knew that all too well as her father was still very keen on hiding from them. After they'd taken her the year before he'd been upset. So upset she was worried he may not really be clinging to any real shreds of his old self.

Of course, she worried for him a lot, it was her promise, the promise she'd made to herself when her mum's spell had gone awry and killed her. She would take care of her father for the rest of his life, he needed her, without her mum to care for him.

She pulled on one of her favorite weekend outfits, an oversized grey jumper and a pair of jeans Hermione had given her for Christmas. She'd fallen in love with muggle jeans from the moment she'd seen them. Both were covered in paint from her favorite hobby and that was just what she planned to do that day.

Hogwarts did not host an art class, nor did it have many rooms suited for her particular hobby because there was a lack of interest in things like painting and playing music. Luna however had been granted an empty room on the third floor, in the west corridor that was unused so long as she promised to share it should anyone else desire to use it.

Of course she'd agreed immediately.

She slipped into her shoes and tied her long hair up on top of her head, the ponytail messy with strands falling all over the place, and hooked her wand behind her ear, in its usual place. She wore her cork necklace, glad it had finally dried.

Leaving her common room she wasn't surprised to see the halls nearly empty. The weather outside, while rapidly cooling was still rather nice and she suspected most of the students would be outside, or wherever it was they spent their time playing games like exploding snap and wizard skittles.

The art room was unoccupied as usual and she took great pleasure in squeezing paints onto her pallet and setting up her canvas. She never sketched her work before painting, preferring to put the colors directly to her canvas, for this she used the wizarding paint that could be charmed to move, much like the pictures taken by wizarding photographers but it would not come to life, like say a headmaster's portrait. This only worked when the subject of the painting was dead, after all.

It took her three hours to perfect the portrait of Hermione and Ginny staring at one another, the loving burning out from their eyes and their faces set in happy little smiles.

She'd chosen a different scene from the one she'd originally promised to paint for Ginny but she was certain the redhead would like this one more.

She skipped lunch painting as she began on a new project, casting a spell on the other to dry it and watching as the images blinked lazily at one another, their eyes so expressive. She was quite proud of it.

This time she let her mind wander as she painted, her hand moving of its own accord as she thought about her week, the things that had happened. She was startled by a voice in the doorway, smooth and velvet as it rolled across her skin.

"The Headmistress said I might find you here, I wasn't aware there was any such room in the school." When she turned he was leant against the doorframe, arms crossed and eyes locked on her, or perhaps the canvas behind her.

When she turned she could see what he was staring at. She had painted him, well, to be precise she had painted a close up of his eyes, little specks of silver mixed with the dark greys and black to make his iris look as it did to her, like the night sky.

She felt the tips of her ears redden, it was really as close as she came to blushing.

"I like to paint in my free time, I let my mind wander and this is what came out. It makes sense though, they really are quite nice, your eyes that is." She paused and furrowed her brow.  
"Though I believe I've already told you that and I'm certain you wouldn't like for me to repeat myself. Did you know you can tell a lot about a person based on their eyes?" She turned to motion to the portrait of Hermione and Ginny.

She'd resumed her dreamy look when she turned back to him, giving him a smile.

"And what of those who are exceptional at hiding what they are thinking, feeling?" He cocked an eyebrow at her and she smiled.

"Of course, an expert at that aren't you? I can still see you, Professor Snape. You're welcome to the painting, if you'd like." She cleaned her mess with a few fancy swishes of her wand and gathered up the painting of Ginny and Hermione to take to her friends.

She left the painting of his eyes propped on the easel as she passed him in the doorway, her eyes catching his for a brief moment, her stomach flipped and she gave him an earnest smile.

"Have a great day, Professor."

"Ms. Lovegood?" He called when she'd made it several feet from him and she turned, her mind focusing on his face.  
"I require your assistance tomorrow, early morning, before dawn. Meet me in my classroom. I am in need of ingredients." She nodded, giving him a smile and shifting the painting.

"Of course Sir, I will be there early." She turned back and drifted down the hall, leaving him staring at her back.

Severus stared at the painting of eyes, his eyes, long after the witch had drifted away, staring at them intensely.

Is that how she saw them, like the endless sky at night? It was an interesting concept, and a bit of a disturbing one to know she thought of him outside of their interactions.

Of course, he thought of her as well. Often, in fact, when he couldn't sleep and lay in bed awake, staring at the ceiling he thought of her melodic voice. The way it drifted, in the same way she seemed to drift everywhere she went, the way she smiled at him, pure silvery eyes.

Still, it was a wonder a girl like Luna Lovegood would think of him in her free time. He'd been pleased to notice she wore the shoes he'd given her and he was glad the charm he'd placed on them had worked. They changed colors every so often, which had been a feature they'd come with and it had certainly made him think of the eccentric little witch. Striding into the room and taking the canvas in one hand he used his wand to dry the paint and shrink it, down so that it fit into his robe pocket. He thought of where he could put it.

He felt a little silly, he should just dispose of it and be finished with the very idea of Luna Lovegood but he simply couldn't.

No, she'd caught the attentions of something he'd buried deep inside himself, something that fought its way toward the surface relentlessly every time she released the dreamy melodic voice on him and stared at him with wide silvery eyes.

When she'd brushed the hair from his face it had been all he could do not to pounce on her, and when she wrapped him in a hug he'd had to force himself not to return the affectionate action.

How could he think of her like this, she was his student!?

Suddenly, as if out of nowhere the dark mark on his arm began to burn and he growled, ripping his sleeve up and staring at the bright red glow of the snake and skull tattoo on his forearm.

How was this possible?

The Dark Lord was dead!

He growled in discomfort and pulled his sleeve back down, ignoring the ripped material as he made his way quickly from the third floor, toward the Headmistress' office.

This was bad, he just knew it.

He nearly bowled over Draco Malfoy on his way to the office, the boy's grey eyes wide as he stared up at his Godfather, Harry was behind him, panting for breath as if they'd run all the way to the castle.

"Why?" It was all the blonde could say and for once, Severus did not have an answer.


	12. Chapter 11

Entering Minerva's office, Draco and Potter trailing behind him Severus was surprised to see the back of a familiar blonde head.

"Minerva, we need to speak with you," he glanced to the blonde again, "privately."

The girl turned to look at him, wide silvery eyes locked on his face before she looked to Draco and Potter behind him.

"May I see?" Her voice was dreamy, as per usual and he forced down his shiver at the melodic tone drifting over him. She stood, turning to face the group of three and he saw she was still wearing her paint stained clothing.

He clenched his jaw, glanced to Draco, and tried to control his rising concern.

"Professor Snape?" She spoke again, that dreamy tone washing over him and he almost groaned. His stress levels were absolutely off the charts and it was a wonder to him how soothing her voice, her presence itself really was.

Severus pulled his arm behind himself, shooting a weary look to Minerva.

"Severus, she knew you were coming, she knows something is happening and we're only trying to put the pieces together." Minerva spoke quietly, looking between them. They were all surprised when Draco stepped forward and thrust his forearm into the girl's face.

She turned her gaze to him, smiled softly, and ran her fingers across the red, enraged flesh.

Draco shivered but said nothing and Severus watched irritation brewing somewhere in the pit of his stomach.

"It isn't what I thought." She turned to Minerva they shared a meaningful look as she released Draco's arm and he resumed his place beside his fiancé.  
"I'm not an expert seer," she turned to glance to Minerva before turning back to him. "I haven't actually studied as I should to hone the skill. I had suspected that it was a direct descendant of his, but that does not appear to be the case."

They sat in the office for a long time, all throwing out ideas, Potter hypothesized that he was doing something from beyond the grave, which forced a snort from Severus. Minerva glanced to the portrait of Dumbledore often who had no helpful advice.

"I'm not there anymore and I won't be bothered unless lives are at stake. Have a lemon drop." He'd said, before turning back to his wizard's chess match with one of the other former Headmasters of the school.

"He never really was all that helpful." Severus had grumbled, earning a sharp look from Minerva and a gaping mouth from Potter.

When they'd finally given up, going their separate ways, Potter and Draco returning to their shared home via floo network in the Headmistress' office, Severus was surprised to find Lovegood was following him, trailing behind him a few paces.

"I understand that it is a painful part of your past, Sir." She spoke when they entered his classroom. He stopped walking when he heard the door shut behind her.

"You couldn't possibly understand, child." He snarled, not really sure where the rage was coming from but all the same it bubbled to the surface.

"I couldn't." She drifted closer, he turned to look at her, she'd toed her shoes off by the door and it had made her near silent. He was almost startled to find she was standing right in front of him. He stared down at her, baffled.  
"I could never know your pain sir, but I can see it. It radiates from your aura in waves, it permeates your wards, and your magic. I only want to help you, won't you let me see the mark? Now we are alone, I would never betray the trust of someone important to me." She was staring up at him with wide eyes. She'd not even flinched at his anger. She pretended as if it had never happened.

He didn't know what to do, how to respond. Heaving a sigh he stepped back and dropped into the chair behind his desk. She drifted a few steps closer and he glanced down at her sock covered feet, they had little dragons dancing around on them and he nearly snorted a laugh.

She was so unique, she shone with such a light he hated that Draco had exposed her to the wretched mark, and now she was pressing him to do the same.

"Ms. Lovegood…" He massaged his temple, slender fingers kneading the tender flesh beneath long strands of black hair.  
"I cannot, it is not something my Godson should have exposed to you. That you touched it makes my skin crawl."

She tipped her head at him, blinking. She trapped her tongue between her lips and he recognized the familiar action, she was thinking, hard. He tried not to dwell on the fact he found her face of concentration adorable.

"May I tell you a story, Professor Snape?" She furrowed her brow, looking as though she'd come to a conclusion.

"If you must." He sighed, leaning back in his chair, he was not prepared for the witch to pull herself up onto his desk, sitting with her legs dangling off the edge and her bum atop what was either his lesson plan, or his grading. Either way he was too stunned to reprimand her.

She could be quite bold, and did so without even thinking.

"You know I spent quite a lot of time in Malfoy Manor, specifically the dungeons." He nodded, as far as he knew she'd never spoken to anyone but Ollivander about her time there. Refusing to even speak of the atrocities she must have faced.

Either way he didn't like where this was going. He didn't want to know, did he? Perhaps so, it would only strengthen his resolve not to involve her in the enraged Dark Mark on his arm. It still pulsed with a burning call, though somehow it seemed dulled in her presence.

She must have been distracting him from it.

"Your reluctance to show me your mark, while flattering leads me to believe you still see me as a child, Professor." She held him, locked in her silvery gaze and she smiled softly.  
"The innocent child in me died in those dungeons, Sir. If I may be so bold to say, surviving tortures like those inflicted upon a girl perceived to be a seer, who would give the man who wished to be her master none of the information he wished to hear- it changes something inside you." She paused, holding him in her gaze, level, even.

She was right, he was still allowing himself to see her as that little girl, and while his mind had been slowly opening up to the idea that she was no longer that dazed child who once wandered the halls she was thrusting the truth upon him. She maintained her quirks, and her wide gaze, her soft melodic voice that turned to steel only when necessary, but she was not a child anymore.

"You are realizing it now, I can see it in your eyes. They really are so expressive, it is a true shame no one pays enough attention to see you inside of them." She gave a weak smile, he fought the urge to move forward. He wanted to touch her, gods how he wanted to wrap her in a hug and beg her forgiveness for having to be so focused on Potter, for allowing the things that had happened to her to come to pass.

He knew that her days after he'd taken over the school, with the Carrows prowling the halls hadn't been much better.

"You should know, I took comfort in the idea that it was never you, my trusted Professor who came down to torment me, to hurt Ollivander, my friend." Her eyes drifted over his shoulder, looking somewhere far away.

"No more, I can't- don't say anymore." He exhaled, slipping his open robes from his shoulders and producing his left arm. The fabric of his sleeve was still torn from his ripping at it earlier and he held it up, still covered. Unwilling to show her the mark so readily. If she wanted to see it she would uncover it herself.

"Come closer." She breathed, her words soft, a symphony, peace that settled upon his shoulders. He'd heard that his voice impacted those around him, he'd never understood the sensations a voice could arouse however, until hers had impacted him.

He pulled his chair forward but did not lift his head, his hair a curtain between them. He flinched at the feeling of cool, soft fingers parting his torn sleeve and rolling it gently, slowly up his arm. When finally he knew the mark was exposed he'd expected some reaction.

And from anyone else he may have received that reaction but from Luna Lovegood he did not receive a gasp, or a sharp exhale of breath. Nothing, her fingers only skirted around the inflamed mark and his eyes couldn't help but be drawn to the sight of pale fingers moving gingerly on his flesh.

She was so gentle, so compassionate in her movements that he nearly forgot the burn of the mark entirely.

"You are able to summon one another, aren't you? I saw him command Mr. Malfoy once, to summon the rest." Her voice was still a melody but he could hear the thought in her words. He often forgot the girl was a Ravenclaw, and despite being incredibly flighty she was one of the most intelligent of her year, and several years ago those above her.

He'd often been convinced Hermione Granger would have been given much more competition for highest scores if Ms. Lovegood had given her education more than a passing glance.

"You'll be happy to know I do not suspect Nargles." He could hear the giggle in her voice, his eyes shot up, locking with hers. Her hand wrapped around his arm, just beneath the Dark Mark and he took a breath.

"We are able to summon one another, but I cannot imagine why anyone would summon the others. They have all gone into hiding, or should have." She nodded, still not releasing his arm. Her palm was cool against his flesh and glanced down. Whereas his skin was a pale, sallow color, hers in comparison reminded him of moonlight, it was a contrast, a difference he found both interesting and entrancing.

"I want to give you something, a solace in the face of something that I'm sure will be trying for you." She was watching him with wide silvery eyes again, her voice barely a whisper. His perception of her was changing, had changed. He wasn't seeing a little wayward girl anymore, but a young woman who was not nearly so flighty as he'd once allowed himself to believe. Yes, she had some foolish superstitions and some no-doubt insane habits but he was seeing past it, and he wanted to see more.  
"I cannot tell you much, but I can say that I've seen your future, at least, small glimpses, and it is a lot brighter than you think."

She hopped from his desk, her legs brushing his as she shimmied sideways and out from between himself and his desk. His legs burned where hers had touched, despite the fabric between them. He realized as she made her way to the door, slipping her wildly socked feet back into her shoes that the mark had stopped burning and glanced down. The call had been ended, though he wasn't sure whether it was a good, or bad thing.

"I expect you before dawn, Ms. Lovegood."

She turned, giving him that dreamy smile and mock saluted, he wondered where she'd learned _that_.

"Of course Sir, I will be here."

He nodded, watching as she left and then shut the door behind her. "Sleep well, Ms. Lovegood." His voice was a whisper and his eyes fixed on the parchment atop his desk, she'd scooted it back, not to sit atop it and rumple the smooth paper.

Subconsciously his hands drifted across his desk, the wood was still warm from her time spent sitting atop it and he groaned. He'd preferred to have continued seeing her as a child.

This was not good.


	13. Chapter 12

Luna knew she was dragging her feet, and she knew that she was missing the usual spunk in her step but she was so tired as she made her way through the empty corridors of Hogwarts that she couldn't exactly find it in herself to care. Her dreams the night before- in what little sleep she'd gotten- had been plagued by screaming, and blood, and death.

Something really bad was coming, and she knew it was only a matter of time before it made its first true appearance. She just wasn't certain what it was and every time she felt like she was getting close it evaded her.

It wasn't often Luna Lovegood felt frustration but when she did, she felt it down to her very core, her entire being thrummed with it.

She paused, taking a deep breath and checking around the hall, looking for any signs of Wrackspurts, or perhaps Colloops who liked to feed on lingering negative feelings. She certain had some of those.

Nothing, she huffed to herself and continued her trek, down to the dungeons and toward the Potions classroom. Her stomach flipped at the prospect of spending more time with her Professor, that put a smile on her face and when she knocked on the door she was met with an immediate 'enter'.

"Ms. Lovegood." Professor Snape greeted her, looking as he always did, she didn't think he was ever ruffled, even in the slightest, he always seemed to be buttoned down to perfection.

She yawned, stretched her arms above her head and bowed back before straightening and giving him a broad smile.

"Good morning, Professor Snape." He snorted.

"I would hardly call it good." She tipped her head at him, brow furrowing.

"I wonder, what exactly would you call bad about it, Professor?" She observed him and he shifted a bit in his place before running his hand through his hair and giving a slight nod.

"Well, nothing at this point, I suppose, but that does not remove the potential for that to change." He hummed, walking toward her, where she stood in front of the door.

"I think, that we set ourselves up to have bad days." She smiled thoughtfully, giving him one of her dreamy smiles.  
"My father says he had a muggleborn friend who had a saying once." She paused thinking on it. She could feel his eyes on her, watching, waiting for what she had to say next.

"Oh yeah! Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things! I found it quite funny as a child, I'll admit, though it sounds like good advice now." She stepped aside so he could lead the way out the door. He gave her a strange look as he passed.

"I have never heard anything so ridiculous." He commented as he locked and warded the classroom door. Luna just shot him another dreamy smile and proceeded to drift beside him as they made their way back up to the upper levels of the school.

"So where will we be going for ingredients, Professor?" She cast a curious glance his way, happily ignoring his biting comment. She really didn't mind his snippy, snide, somewhat sarcastic attitude. It hardly bothered her to be spoken to in such a way, people had been picking on her for the better part of her life after all, and he didn't mean anything by it.

"There is a rare flower that grows in the caves near the sea, we will be apparating there and gathering the necessary flower. Are you familiar with Death Lilies?" Luna smiled fondly and nodded, glancing around as they exited the school. It was early, the sun was not even rising yet and there was cool dew settled on the grass and path they walked down.

"They only grow on cliffsides and inside caves, they are considered the most pungent flower and because of this they were often mixed with Lilies to mask the scent of death in wizarding funerals." She looked dreamily across the grounds, up to the sky, and smiled to herself.  
"They are not actually Lilies at all but instead a form of plant similar to belladonna and they attract many different magical creatures." He gave her a look, eyebrow cocked and she tipped her head at him.

"I forget how knowledgeable you are, Ms. Lovegood." She nodded, glancing down at the path that lead them ever closer to the gates of Hogwarts.

"Most do, that's okay Professor." She crossed her arms behind her back and skipped ahead of him, the sensation of intense eyes on her seemed to be growing familiar.

Severus watched as the blonde witch skipped ahead of him, her hair in a loose braid that spilled blonde locks all around her shoulders and her wand tucked behind her ear as always. She was a curious girl. One he had been growing to respect more and more the more time he spent with her.

He couldn't help but watch her move happily in front of him, the shift of her hips and the way she crossed her arms behind her back. She seemed to be in a good mood, though he thought that she may never actually be in a bad mood.

He had woken up in a dark mood, exhausted from battling the Dark Mark the day before and annoyed he would need to go after the rare plant. He hadn't meant to speak aloud about the way he often forgot she was so intelligent but it had slipped out and he'd been surprised when she'd not looked at all bothered.

In fact she'd commented on 'most' forgetting she was knowledgeable about more than silly imaginary beasts and that she was in fact a Ravenclaw, clever and intelligent. Of course, it was easy to forget her status as Ravenclaw as well, the way she gravitated toward Gryffindors, did not maintain any sort of stuck up attitude, and seemed to see the good in everyone.

He'd swear she could see the good in the Dark Lord, given the chance.

They came to the gate and he waved his wand, allowing them to exit through the heavy iron bars and wards. When they stood outside she gave him a look, and then looked down at her feet. She looked fascinated by the grey stone that littered the ground beneath them.

"Poor guy!" She exclaimed and knelt, picking up a bug. A bug. He blinked.

A bug that had nearly been beneath his boot clad foot. She spoke to it softly as she rushed to the grass and found a safe place to deposit the thing. He watched her, eyebrow cocked and shook his head when she came back.

"If you're quite finished Ms. Lovegood, please take my arm." He produced his right arm, ready to carry her in side along apparition and she gave him a wary look.

"It makes me nervous." She admitted, her voice airy and he furrowed his brow, inspecting her face.

"Have you been splinched? Come now girl, I won't lose any of your parts I assure you." He held out his arm and she fidgeted but drifted closer to him. He didn't want her to be scared, he thought of the hug she'd wrapped him in and cleared his throat.

When she took hold of his arm he tugged her closer gently and gave her a long look. She was short and her head ended at his shoulders height, though it seemed the school had been filled with short witches the longer he taught. He wondered if it was a trend, those of his generation had been tall and willowy, maybe they were shrinking.

"If it will make you feel better Ms. Lovegood you may wrap your arms around me." She grinned up at him and spared not a moment hooking her arms around his torso. He tensed for a moment, the unfamiliar sensation of being embraced, even in an innocent setting took him a breath to adjust to.

He held her shoulder, her hair brushing his knuckles as he spun into apparition and landed near his destination, but not so close that she could fall into the roaring surf from the cliff faces in case she was dizzy because of the apparition.

She had her face buried his side when they landed, just beneath his arm, and he gave her shoulder an awkward pat.

"There now, that was not nearly so bad as you thought, was it?" He'd meant to sound condescending but for some reason his voice came out soft and she pulled back, looking up at him and giving a dizzy little nod.

"No sir, I'm sorry for being difficult." She spoke before she was drifting away from him, her eyes scanning the line of the cliff they were on. There were paths to get closer to the water and that was his intention, take a path down. She looked back at him over her shoulder and the breeze caught her long braid, tugging her hair away from her and making her look otherworldly.

"It really is beautiful, the sea." She said thoughtfully as she turned back to the crashing surf near the bottom of the cliff.

"Beautiful and destructive."

"It seems they always go hand in hand." She looked far away, somewhere distant. That look that had made him think she was simply a foolish, flighty little girl before now, now he knew it was thoughtfulness. It was the way she looked when she contemplated things.

Her mind worked in mysterious ways, but whatever it was that made her different, set her apart from others, it was the same thing that was drawing him, like a moth to the flame.


	14. Chapter 13

"Professor?" Ms. Lovegood called, her voice drifting as if on air from her position just a few feet below him. He couldn't see her, not yet, she'd managed her way down the path much more expertly than he'd ever have expected.

Of course, she'd been exploring many, many places with her father for unheard of creatures, it was logical she would be skilled at scaling, and descending steep terrain. She came into sight and he couldn't understand why she was stood frozen until he stood directly behind her, his chest nearly brushing the back of her head as she stood- stalk still.

"I think we may have a problem, Sir." She exhaled, her voice entirely silent.

She was correct, the area where the path normally lead had been destroyed. In fact, the witch stood so close to the ledge that the point of her shoes dangled off the sharp break away of land. He stared down, they were close enough to the waves now to feel their spray as they assaulted the rock beneath their feet.

He couldn't stop himself, fear of her teetering over that ledge driving him to grasp her around her chest and haul her backwards a few steps.

She didn't struggle, didn't gasp, didn't react at all, only let him move her as if she were a doll and when he settled her to her feet again she turned to look over her shoulder at him with a smile.

"Thank you, Sir, for once again saving me." Her voice was teasing, her smile light and happy. He cocked an eyebrow at the witch, remembering being informed she was able to take care of herself, but that she appreciated his efforts.

In his mind, she would let herself end up a rolling mist, gone on the horizon if he weren't there to help her. No matter how long she'd survived without him.

He realized his arms were still locked around her, holding her own arms to her side and he released her, taking another step back.

"Well, I would be in quite a lot of trouble if you were to fall to your death, Ms. Lovegood." He cocked an eyebrow and she turned her dreamy silver eyes back out to look over the sea.

"Maybe, Professor, while we're here you could call me Luna, if you like? I am more than simply Ms. Lovegood, after all." She turned her gaze, looking around, he almost wondered if she was actually talking to him the way she didn't look at him as she spoke.

"That would be highly inappropriate, Ms. Lovegood." He caught sight of the side of her face, the little pink tip of her tongue stuck between her lips as she thought, she twirled a loose piece of her hair.

"Is it? I find it quite appropriate considering this setting, we aren't in the school, after all." She gave him another one of those keen responses he was growing accustomed to and made a little noise 'Ah!'.

"I'm not quite comfortable with the idea, Ms. Lovegood. I would be wrong to give you the impression we could be friends." He clenched his fingers into his fists. More like he would be wrong to give himself the impression they could be friends.

She turned to him, giving him a soft smile, long braid hooked over her shoulder as she observed him for a moment.

"We will be so much more than that." Her smooth, melodic voice was so quiet he was certain he heard her wrong beneath the sound of crashing waves, before he had a chance to question her she pointed, motioning to a thick line of shrubbery that decorated the flat bit of rock and dirt they stood on. It was sparse, and nearly dead but there was so much of it, it was difficult to see through.  
"There." She tugged her wand out of her hair, he watched her, interested in what she was up to. A quickly cast Diffindo shredded and tore away the bits of dying plant and exposed a new path, much more roughly worn than the one that ended so abruptly.

She apologized to the plants, and the small number of insects that ran out of them and he smirked. It was almost endearing, the way she seemed to care for everything she came across.

"Very good Ms. Lovegood, an alternative route." He very rarely issued compliments or praise and she turned to him with wide eyes, surprise written on her face before the exposed tips of her ears turned red.

"Thank you, Professor." As if sensing he would not want her moving ahead of him anymore she waited for him to begin working his way down the path, he could hear her feet as she followed closely behind him.

The first cave they came across was devoid of life aside from some plants and he nodded to it, motioning to Ms. Lovegood.

"I won't need to worry about you in here. Stay. In. This. Cave." He commanded and she gave a little nod.  
"Call if you need me." He began to walk away, halted by her voice.

"Professor?"

He turned, glancing over his shoulder and cocked an eyebrow.

"Be careful." She smiled before disappearing into the darkness of the cave. He wondered why she hadn't bothered casting a lumos but took a deep breath and moved on. The sun had risen during their climb and they had only so much daylight before they needed to return to the castle.

It was three hours later that Severus realized he'd not heard a peep from the Lovegood girl. His stomach turned and he gathered the last of the little bunch of flowers he'd found before he turned and began working his way back up the trail. The cave he'd left her in should have been visible as he crested a particularly steep hill but he saw nothing but uneven terrain and rock.

Where had it gone?

"Ms. Lovegood?" He called, careful not to be too loud, worry was steadily building in him as he carried on, coming closer to where the cave had been.

Finally, he found it, it's entrance covered by rocks and he felt sick. Damn, how had he not heard it?

"Ms. Lovegood?"

"She's probably dead." He heard a cool voice from behind him and turned, locking eyes with a familiar set of blue-grey eyes. Her flaming red hair was wild around her face, not trained back as it had been when last he'd seen her and her pinched face looked pleased.

"Alecto." He growled, glaring at the witch, she was thought to be dead, defeated by Ms. Lovegood herself in the Astronomy tower during the final battle.

"Bitch deserved it, she should know, never leave an enemy alive." The witch approached, black robes tattered around her bare feet. They were leaving tracks of blood on the coarse rock as she approached him, eyes wild.  
"We lost, because of you Snape. Amycus is dead, because of you." She snarled, Severus produced his wand. His heart clenching in his chest.

"You've cast a silencing charm, I presume?" She nodded, pale face reddening beneath the overbearing sun. He could smelt he dust of the rocks that had fallen, the spray of the salty sea water crashing against the rocks. His wand and eyes however were trained on the witch in front of him. The last of the Carrows now, he assumed.  
"I would remind you that, if you had chosen the correct side in this war your brother," he sneered at this, knowing the two had been much more than brother and sister to one another, "would be alive."

"Correct side!? Correct side!? Our Lord was the correct side! He would have given us everything! Power, position, prestige! What we deserved! He would have returned our standing under those filthy mudbloods!" She screeched, he could see a blue vein pulsing in the side of her face and cocked a cool eyebrow.

He'd always been adept at pushing buttons, it was a wonder she was not accustomed to his personality.

"Now you'll have to live knowing one of your students is dead- if you survive this at least." She grinned, showcasing yellowed and chipped teeth. She'd been living in the wilderness, obviously not caring for herself during her time in hiding. He wondered if the other Death Eaters on the run were in the same condition. He'd have happily provided her with her old mask not to look at her face, at this point.

"Spare me, Alecto, you know as well as I how easily I would best you in a duel. You would have been more intelligent to keep the girl as a hostage, to use her against me, at least then you would have had the upper hand. As it is I can see you are near your breaking point, you've been starving, living off bugs haven't you?" He sneered.

"Disgusting twit, it is the fate deserved by such filth that would kill her own kind based on foolish ideals brought up by a mad man. Or must I remind you that your Lord himself was a half-blood, the son of a filthy muggle."

Alecto growled, casting wildly at Severus who easily deflected each, not bothering to strike back.

She was losing her precision as she cast and soon she would be useless with her wand.

"I hate you!" She screeched, hitting her knees. Severus grunted, giving her a long, condescending look, unbothered by her words, obviously.

"That is a fair claim, though I would be loathe to be admired by the likes of you so I shall take it as a compliment." He looked down at her, eyes cold and black.

There were a few Death Eaters he still held respect for, this was not one of them.

"Incarcerous." His bored tone did not at all betray his mounting worry for Luna, she was inside that cave, possibly choking to death on the dust of the settled rocks. Or worse, crushed to death. His mind was racing, unable to settle on one gruesome image of what must have been the fate of the young woman inside.

Alecto cursed him, wriggling but not fighting nearly as hard as she might have, had he not allowed her to tire herself out.

"I will be turning you in to the Ministry. Perhaps you will receive the kiss and become a shell, though I believe you will be allowed to wallow in your misery with the Dementors for quite some time." He glared at her on the ground before turning to the rocks blocking the cave entrance. He knew it ran deep, hopefully Luna had been further in.

He would apparate inside, it was the only way he could logically sort out to get to her. He would get her out, no matter what, and then he could check her over. He could only hope she'd survived.


	15. Chapter 14

Luna stared at the thin shafts of light that broke through the rocks that crowded the entrance to the cave she sat in. She was calm, her shirt up over her mouth and nose to filter the air she breathed. She felt grimy though, as if the dust had settled in her hair and all over her skin leaving her a dusty, sweaty mess.

It was hot inside the cave now there was no air flow. She set the bag of gathered plants beside her, waiting for Professor Snape to find her, she had no doubt he would. Her wand was once more tucked behind her ear but she'd expended every bit of her energy stopping the rocks from crushing her. She'd been standing right in their path, she'd barely managed to avoid them and dive into the back of the cave.

Her palms stung, and her knees were shredded. She was just berating herself for not wearing the muggle Jeans Hermione had given her when she spotted something crawling away from the thick pile of rocks.

"Oh, you poor thing!" She swept forward and caught it in her hand, giving it a long look over. It was, as far as she could tell, something similar to a Wrackspurt, though she'd never seen this little being before.

It stared up at her with big eyes as she pulled her wand and used her last little bit of magical energy to cast a healing charm on it. Wings flittered behind the little being and she tipped her head, a smile on her face.

"There you are, I'm sorry you were hurt because of me, say, what are you exactly." It squeaked at her but she couldn't quite understand what it was saying, perhaps a different language, or the size of the body, or a combination of the two.

It was humanoid in shape, and looked to be feminine though it sported the deepest black skin and almost see through wings. She blinked down at it.

"Well, I'm waiting for my Professor to come help me." She tucked her wand in her hair.  
"So the least I can do is help you, it wouldn't be right to let you end up hurt now would it? I suppose you live around here then." She glanced around. Coughing when she inhaled a breath of dust. The little being danced around on her hand and she frowned, coughing again.

If she thought about it she was feeling a bit dizzy.

She was surprised when the sprite-like creature leapt into the air, emitting an odd sort of light and stopped as it hovered in front of her before zipping a little way into the cave, it reminded her of a humming bird, it moved so quickly.

It zipped back, as if motioning to her and she pried herself off the floor. Following wasn't easy, she was in quite a bit of pain and her body ached from the depletion of her magic. She hadn't realized she'd used quite so much.

When she stepped into an opening in the back of the cave that she'd not noticed before she came face to face with a large colony of beings similar to the one she'd followed in an assortment of colors. Black, blue, purple, pink, red, there were so many of them she could hardly catalogue all the colors, zipping around a large pool of water in the center of the room.

She collapsed to her knees, wincing at the stone against her already damaged flesh and looked around, a bright smile on her face.

She was entranced by the little creatures, flitting about, paying her no mind. She felt something land on her head and tried to look up, only to find the tiniest of faces looking down on her.

"Why hello there." She grinned, this one was purple and she could make out the features better. They were distinctly humanoid, though there was something, sharp- pointed almost that made them less than.

"Luna!?" She heard the desperate call echo through the cave, followed by a stifled cough and her eyes went wide.

"Oh! I have to go, he'll be worried." She glanced around again, committing the sight to memory and knowing on an instinctive level that Snape could not find this. They would be angry with her, even if he was a good man.

She slipped out of the opening, noticing a few little faces watching her as she stumbled back to the front of the cave, it was dark but she followed her natural instinct and soon she could see the light of his wand. He was looking around, dark eyes wide in the closed space, her bag of ingredients clutched tightly in one hand.

"Oh, there you are Professor, I'd wondered when you would get here." She smiled, coughed, and then collapsed, just feeling the brush of his robes against her face before she passed out.

Severus had summoned Aurors to retrieve Carrow as soon as he exited the cave with Luna, knowing he needed first and foremost to care for the witch. She was exhausted, and that was something only sleep could help her with but he could take care of her busted palms and skinned knees. She certainly looked worse for the wear, covered in a thick coat of brown dust.

The Aurors who had come for the other witch offered to help and he'd all but growled them away from the blonde, standing threateningly in front of her and insisting she was his responsibility and that he would care for her alone.

He'd earned some odd looks but fortunately his reputation was wide spread, and he'd most likely taught some of these Aurors so they left him with the witch alone, after asking their fill of questions about Alecto.

He stroked the hair back from her face, wiping away some of the thick dust and revealing the smooth, pale skin of her forehead.

She looked innocent when she was sleeping, her wide eyes closed and her chest rising and falling evenly. He cleared the rocks from the cave entrance with a blasting spell when they were far enough away. Knowing he would need to return someday for more of the Death Lilies.

He would apply his salves and feed her a few potions when they made it back to Hogwarts, he wouldn't take her to Poppy this time, he had no desire to listen to the woman's disdain for the blonde witch. It only served to annoy him.

Scooping her into his arms was easy, she was light and very pliant unconscious as she was and he spun in place, bringing them to Hogwarts gates. A disillusionment charm ensured they would not be spotted by any students and he made his way quickly to the dungeons.

He had one goal, and one goal only, to help the blonde witch.

Luna was dreaming again, she was sure of it when she looked around the familiar room.

She enjoyed these dreams though, they gave her a strange sort of hope for her future, that she could lead something like the life she desired.

She was sitting in a rocking chair, a small bundle in the crook of each arm as she stared down at two identical faces, a boy and girl. Wispy jet-black hair decorated the crowns of their heads and she smiled. She could almost smell that soft scent of newborn.

She glanced across the room into a small vanity mirror, staring at herself for a long moment, her wide eyes looked tired, though that was no surprise.

Twin infants would do that to a woman she was certain. What surprised her was the figure of someone behind her, looking over the top of her head and staring down at the twin faces with a look of admiration.

He looked up, locking black eyes with hers.

The blonde witch gasped, shooting up from her prone position and staring around her with wide eyes. The room was dark, and unfamiliar as she let her eyes roam over the walls and floors that surrounded the bed she was in. She wasn't in the hospital wing.

She ran a hand through her loosed hair and was happy to find no heavy dust settled in the long locks, though she was certain some still clung to her scalp. It always took time to get things like thick dust and sand out of hair like hers.

She noticed a form, slumped in a chair a few feet from the bed and knew immediately who she was with. His head was bowed, his hair hanging in his face and his lean body slumped back into the chair. Her mouth tasted like rejuvenating potions and when she moved her legs she could feel the tautness of freshly healed flesh.

She ran a hand through her hair, worried when her wand wasn't behind her ear.

"Accio wand." She whispered, as quietly as possible and caught it as it zoomed toward her outstretched hand. She sighed in relief at the feeling of the carvings beneath her and looked at the figure of the slumped wizard again.  
"Your comfort is no less important than mine." She whispered, casing a silent mobilicorpus and moving him very delicately into the bed beside her as she scooted over. She made certain that they weren't touching and released the spell when his head hit the pillow.

She didn't bother to cover him in the fire warmed room and let her eyes roam over the side of his face.

"Silly wizard, you're just as important as anyone else." She sighed, rolled onto her side, and drifted back off to sleep, the soft breathing, and occasional snore of the wizard beside her so unfamiliar, and yet so familiar at the same time.


	16. Chapter 15

Severus woke in his bed, and glanced around confused for a few moments. He was alone, when he'd been almost certain Ms. Lovegood had been in his bed the night before, and he'd fallen asleep in the chair.

She must have moved him again.

He grunted and rolled from the bed, noticing a small, folded piece of parchment beside the alarm clock that read six a.m. Snagging the parchment between slender fingers he strolled in socked feet to the loo. Attending his morning routine before unfolding the letter while brushing his teeth.

He almost choked on his toothpaste when he stared at the image drawn on the parchment, his sleeping face, a little note scrawled beneath it.

 _Your comfort is just as important as anyone else's, Professor, I hope you slept well._

He closed his eyes, imagining the sparkling silver eyes of the nymph-like girl and sighed to himself.

Staring down at the picture she'd drawn of him made his heart leap, was this the way she saw him? He looked up into the mirror, seeing something entirely different than what was held inside the image.

It startled him, how good it felt to think someone looked at him and saw not an ugly, aging wizard but something like the image in his hand.

Producing his wand, he stuck the picture to his mirror, looking up at it for a long moment before heaving a breath and beginning to disrobe. She wouldn't think him so beautiful if she saw the plethora of scars that littered his chest and back, the slashes across his stomach.

He turned from the mirror, refusing to look at his body and turned on the water, stepping into the shower in hopes of easing some of the tension from his muscles. Draco would be coming for his lessons soon after breakfast and he would have to see Ms. Lovegood again as she taught his morning classes on Mondays.

"Good morning, Professor!" She sang as she entered the classroom, twenty minutes before his class would arrive, she looked well, spry as ever and as if she'd rested exceptionally. He wondered how long she'd shared his bed before she'd left him, or if she'd done so at all? Had she left as soon as she'd moved him?

"Morning, Ms. Lovegood, I trust you slept well." She beamed at him and brushed clean hair from her face, he watched her, interest bearing down on him. There was so much he wanted to know, so many things about the witch that made him curious.

"Well, I did, until I returned to my dorm, I believe they give you much more comfortable beds." She grinned as she tugged her potions book from her bag and plopped it onto his desk. He watched her with interest, still sat in his chair behind his desk as she flitted around him.

"I'm afraid not, Ms. Lovegood." He smirked when she paused and gave him a long look.

"Hmm, then maybe it was the company." She shrugged, giving him another smile and pulling herself onto his desk, he watched her sitting on the edge of the desk and he suddenly had the overwhelming urge to push her into the wood. He wanted to kiss her full lips and taste her mouth, what did she taste like?  
"What are you thinking of Professor? I can see it in your eyes, it's something important, isn't it?" She tipped her head at him.

He stood, walking around to stand in front of her. Surprisingly she was closer to his level sat on his desk than when she was standing and he blinked down at her, fingers caught in long blonde hair and pushed it back over her shoulder, revealing her entire face.

It was as soft as he'd expected, so soft against his fingertips as he pulled his hand back, staring down at the witch. She held his eyes, not looking away for even a second as she returned the gesture, tucking long strands of black hair behind his own ear. He shuddered at the contact, unfamiliar with gentle touch, with reverent touch.

"Thank you, for healing me." She exhaled, her dreamy voice quiet and he stroked a thumb across her cheekbone, eyes still locked on one another.

A bang from the door broke their gaze, and pulled him away from her as fast as he could, unlocking the door with his wand he watched as the blonde witch jumped down from her perch and straightened herself, a strange look pulled her full lips down. Was she disappointed?

Merlin, he could certainly hope she was!

His ear caught the flare of his hearth and he heaved a breath, glancing at the witch one last time before exiting to his office to meet with Draco, he needed to focus on the task at hand, not the blonde witch hovering about in his classroom. So close, yet so far away.

Luna couldn't stop touching her hair where he'd brushed it back, her cheek where his knuckles had grazed her skin. She'd never felt something so electrifying, in fact, at one point she'd considered herself immune to the sexual prowess of any male, or female. She simply was not interested.

Well, no more, she was very interested.

Very interested in Severus Snape, at least. She glanced to his office whilst the students wrote out their answers on a pop-test, one he'd come up with himself and cast onto the board, they only had so many minutes to answer the question before it disappeared and the students were completely focused.

Unfortunately she was not. She glanced into the room that held the Potions Master, she could hear the deep timbre of his voice from the classroom and she smiled to herself, a dreamy sort of look that she was sure made her seem even more unfocused but she didn't care.

She wanted him to touch her again. She'd been hoping he would kiss her, that his lips would touch hers if only for a second and she could feel their softness.

She would have sworn he was about to, until the first of the students arrived and he'd straightened, turning back into the stern, tightly buttoned Potions Master.

Luna liked that about him, though, the way he seemed so serious all the time, the way she could see the kindness, the sadness that dwelled deep down inside. Actually, the more time she spent with him the more she realized she liked about him.

This was only her third week of teaching his class however, and she knew the things he wanted he wouldn't be ready to give for some time yet. He needed time, and to move at his own pace, luckily, she was patient, so patient that she would wait for him. She wouldn't rush him.

She would accept the little touches, and the all of the long stares she could get until he was ready. That didn't mean she couldn't coax him along though, did it? He seemed to like it when she brushed his hair back. She could do that more, the graze of a hand, the accidental bump.

She was in close confines with him enough.

She smiled wistfully to herself and ended the test, smiling at the class as they groaned.

Yes, she could coax him along, but all the first moves would be his. She didn't want to frighten him away from her.


	17. Chapter 16

"Ms. Granger, Ms. Weasley, please refrain from such public acts of affection in the halls." Severus stared the pair down, his brows furrowed when they pulled apart to give him a look. Strange, the pair were, he could have sworn Ms. Granger was more interested in a certain male Weasley in her younger years.

"Sorry Sir." Granger flushed, Weasley gave him an interested look, eyes sparkling before she turned and tugged her girlfriend down the hall.

"Hormonal twits." He huffed and started his way down the hall again. He'd learned, years and years ago to check every little nook and cranny for snogging couples. Why they didn't simply use their common rooms was beyond him. It wasn't as if they were stopped there.

He glanced into another darkened niche and blinked, a familiar figure was knelt on the floor, talking to something- or someone, blonde hair curling down her back. He stepped into the niche behind her, disappearing from the hall and melding with the shadows behind the familiar witch.

"Hello, Professor." Her airy voice drifted up to him and she turned, he offered a hand to help her stand, which she took all too willingly. He tugged her up to her feet, careful to be gentle with the petite witch and she gave him a barely visible broad smile.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing in here, Ms. Lovegood?" He cocked an eyebrow, though he doubted she could see it.

"Shh." She managed just before an unfamiliar voice spoke from the hall.

"I swore he was here, he just vanished." Male voice, deep, he tried to place it but came up short.

"He's around here somewhere, don't worry mate, we'll find him." Another male voice, higher pitched, two sets of feet were fast approaching their little niche and he ducked his head, pulling the much more brightly clothed Luna Lovegood into an embrace and wrapping his cloak around them both. Granting them essential invisibility.

It would have to do, he didn't' have time to cast anything.

"Why are we even bothering with this? It obviously wasn't Snape that sent out the summons- he wasn't trying to lure us in. We'll be caught if we stay in the school much longer." The second spoke again.

"Please, the castle is still trying to repair itself, this is the perfect opportunity. I wonder where his chambers are, near the potions room I'll wager. Let's go down there and wait for him, we can torture him a bit before we put him out of our misery…" A laugh from the other as their voices faded down the hall.

Severus couldn't help it; his breaths were heaving and his arms were clenched tightly around the witch they held. What could he do? He couldn't engage two potentially dangerous Death Eaters in the school, and somehow, he knew that the witch he held wouldn't let him go face them alone.

"Professor," a light voice cut into his thought process but he still wasn't quite ready to release the witch. What if they came back?

"Professor?" Again, his cheek lay against the crown of her head and he was trying to get his thoughts in order, how best to deal with this turn of events?

"Professor Snape." She tugged at his frockcoat but he still managed to say nothing. He felt cold fingers snake behind his neck, into the hair that fell around his face.

"Severus Snape." She demanded and he pulled back, his eyes had adjusted to the dark and he could just make out her silvery eyes staring up at him.

"Ms. Lovegood?" He was baffled, she'd never even attempted to use his given name. Why had it felt so right drifting from her lips? Merlin, he had bigger things to worry about right now.  
"Return to your dormitory, I must take care of this." He tried to pull away but her fingers grasped at the back of his neck, her gaze held his firm.

"Do not act rashly, Professor, take just a moment and collect yourself." She stroked a hand down the side of his face and nudged her head behind her.  
"This space has a secret, one that comes in handy when you're running late for Potions class." She smiled, backing further into the dark, her fingers releasing him. He thought to turn but as if entranced he followed her back further into the darkness. Soon they were descending stairs, the blonde witch walking backwards as torches lit their path.

"How did you know about this?" It was interesting, the way she continued to move backwards without tripping up even once. She gave him a brilliant smile, her silvery eyes lit up, he noticed now, her face was lightly flushed.

"I've always trusted the school to help me, and she has always shown me the way. It's really quite marvelous the way the school can speak to a person if they will only listen." She ran a hand reverently down the wall as he continued to follow her down, her eyes still locked on his.

He knew all too well that the castle was near sentient, in his brief stint as Headmaster he had felt it, spoken to it, been comforted by it. Interesting that it took such position to show him how marvelous his home really was, when this young woman had discovered it so young, probably when she was still but a child.

"Hogwarts loves you, Professor, she wants to take care of you. She's watched your suffering, your life, she takes some students as her children, loving them in the same way a mother would." Her speech surprised him, he could remember many times he'd been provided a hide away, a place to escape from James and the others.

Had that really been the school looking out for him?

He supposed it could have been, now he thought about it.

"We're here." She stopped, turned around, and motioned to a door at the end of the hall. Severus shot her a look, planning to tell her to go back up now.  
"I know how you feel about my staying, Sir, but don't you think two against two are much better odds than two against one?" She smiled. He gave her a long moment of thought.

She'd survived the battle of Hogwarts, she'd survived Death Eaters running the school.

Yes, he knew, despite his overwhelming desire to protect her that she could handle herself. He also had the niggling feeling that the witch would be more than capable of watching his back as well, ensuring neither one of them was hurt if something were to happen.

Part of him wanted for her never to see his magic however, dark as it was. A gentle hand landed on his arm and he locked his eyes on the blonde again. She had her wand in her hand, twirling it between those slender artist's fingers.

"Darkness cannot exist without light, light cannot thrive without darkness to give her purpose." She spoke so quietly he was almost certain she was speaking to herself, not him. Somehow the words soothed him and bit by bit he calmed enough to open the door.

When they stepped out and the door closed behind them it looked like plain stone and he glared at the space it had once occupied before staring at the door to his potion's classroom. Amazing, it was a wonder he'd never caught a student using such a sneaky path.

He wondered how many of his snakes knew of the path.

The witch pointed her wand to the classroom door and he nodded, noticing as well that the door was ajar, a mistake he never made. He knew his wards, combined with some belonging to the witch beside him were strong enough to keep them from his chambers. If they could find the entrance, and figure out the password to make it that far.

He was still baffled by Luna Lovegood figuring it out.

Severus really did need to ask her about that.

He nudged the door open, walking in as he usually would, wand concealed inside his sleeve as he walked confidently to the front of the room. Luna waited outside the door, he couldn't hear a sound from her and as he made his way to his desk and turned he caught sight of two very familiar faces.

"Rowle, Yaxley, to what do I owe the pleasure?" He sneered, voice deep and dark as it drifted across the room. Both men tensed, glaring him down with hateful expressions.

"You know why we're here Snape. It's time you paid for everything you did, why do you get to live the high life when we're left to rot in cells?" Yaxley was the first to speak, his eyes narrowed and his wand drawn. Rowle held his own wand pointed up at the dark clad wizard at the front of the class.

"Before I kill you for daring to set foot in a school full of children, I must ask gentleman, has your mark been active?" This seemed to take them both off guard and Severus almost smirked, almost. It was like playing with children, these once dangerous Death Eaters reduced to all but bones in front of him.

Oh, how the mighty may fall.

It thrilled him to see them in their state, dirty, maddened by dementors, thin and gangly.

They deserved every bit of it for the atrocities they committed under the Dark Lord. Though, if he took too long to dwell he felt he did as well.

"Do you know who activated it?" Rowle spoke this time and Severus cocked a condescending eyebrow at him.

"Do you think I would have asked if I were already in possession of such knowledge. You truly are the idiot I thought you to be." He kept his tone flat, condescending, Rowle ruffled at this, flinging his wand forward and hurtling the Cruciatus curse at him.

Severus deflected easily, his entire body rigid with the idea of a fight. His blood hummed, no matter what he'd done, where his loyalties had fallen he was, and always would be, a dark wizard enthralled with the fight.

Certainly he didn't possess the same bloodlust of his others, but he was no less than them enamored with the dark arts and all they offered. Severus Snape welcomed a duel with equal enthusiasm, the thrill of the fight, the sharp hit of dark magic as it flowed from his body, through his wand and into a target.

This, this was what it meant to be dark, what it meant to be Severus Snape.


	18. Chapter 17

Luna waited outside the door of the potion's lab. She could hear the soft motions of fabric, the taunting speech of Snape as he no doubt leveled his opponents in that disheartening gaze of his.

She knew not to interrupt him, instead she would wait and if he needed assistance she would be there. Otherwise she held the door, warded, her own form hidden behind a charm, no students, or staff would be able to enter and unknowingly step into a duel. She used a silencing charm to mask the sounds of their scuffle and from her position inside the wards and charms could still hear to know if he needed her.

She highly doubted he would, but then, she knew better than anyone the universe was full of surprises, and she wouldn't risk him, not the happy little future she'd been seeing since her childhood. Since before she even knew who Severus Snape was, she wouldn't lose it, couldn't. She knew all too well that changing the hands of fate was a difficult task, but there were many paths that could lead to the same future.

For example when her mother had died, she'd known something was going to happen and had tried to prevent it. The spell that would have killed her, became the spell that was lost- so another did the task instead. She remembered, the way the house lit up in a flash of light, her mother's body smoking, begging her to be okay. Her father coming home and finding them, Luna lying across her mother's chest, unable to move away from her.

Pandora Lovegood was irrevocably dead, and it had shattered her happy illusion of the world for a good while, at least a year. That was when she truly began to listen to her father, and his stories. She grew to love the tales of invisible creatures, to believe in the possibilities of something beyond their knowledge.

She never understood how anyone could argue, for just as witches and wizards hid from the muggles, did not that mean that Wrackspurts and other invisible creatures could hide from witches and wizards?

She snapped back to attention at the sound of a loud crash and groan. She squinted, it wasn't Snape and so she simply maintained her post, trying her best not to drift away into fantasy land again.

Luna covered her mouth to stifle a gasp when she saw a figure coming down the hall, it was masculine, of that she was certain and she suddenly had the instinctive urge to draw her wand and back into the classroom.

Never being one to deny her instincts she did so, finding an unconscious Death Eater leant against the wall and another locked in a duel with Snape. She stumbled over a chair, hitting her bum and distracting both as red terror crawled all across her body. Not her own, no, something outside, an outside influence.

Her eyes closed against the onslaught and she gasped a breath, trying to level her breathing.

"Enough play, Incarcerous." She heard Snape, only vaguely as the rush of blood filled her ears and her eyes rolled back in her head. It was a prophecy, she knew instinctively she needed to grasp the fleeting future, open her inner eye and absorb the information rather than repel it.

Still, the process was difficult, especially having never trained beneath a seer above the level of Sybill Trelawney, who for all her dramatics was not nearly on the level of many who came before her. She was a third rate seer, one who barely harnessed the ability and whose prophecies were hit or miss.

"Ms. Lovegood, are you okay?" There was a hand on her forehead, she could feel the draw of his magic and it pulled the eye open, she could see.

Severus watched as the young witch's eyes snapped open, wide and unseeing as she stared into the void of space.

He'd seen this before, a prophecy was coming, something that he was required by the ministry to record and supply it to them once it had been spoken. There wasn't time to summon an official, this wasn't like those situations where the seer was trying, this had come from nowhere, brought on by something.

 _"On the day of first death, he was born, the spirit not lost in a battle thought won. What was once blue, now burns red hidden behind the veil of a sweet young man. He is his father, as well as his son, a battle being waged in a body not won. Destroy the spare and seal his fate."_ The witch fell into his arms, her wide eyes closing and her breathing labored. He caressed the hair back from her face, watching as eyes fluttered open and she blinked a few times.

"What happened?" She looked exhausted staring up at him and he scooped her from the floor, careful in case she'd been injured when she fell.

"I believe you just told your first prophecy, Ms. Lovegood." He quickly transfigured his desk chair into a lounge and glanced to their guests.

"I- what?" She squinted, looking around, her dreamy voice heavy with her exhaustion.

"I'll explain later, first I must summon an Auror to collect these gentleman, and an official to take record of your prophecy, then you and I will work it out, okay?" He stroked the hair back from her face again, unable to control his hands.

When she'd fallen he'd been startled, when her eyes had snapped open, wide and unseeing his heart had stopped in his chest. It was only when he realized what was happening did it begin to beat again.

He waited a moment for her eyes to close before he left her there, certain of his magical bondings on the two men who'd thought it wise to attack him inside his own home, inside his Hogwarts. He would alert Minerva via owl that there was a dangerous lack of protection somewhere in the castle, most likely a place where repairs hadn't been completed from the final battle.

He summoned an Auror and Ministry Official from his private chambers, pleased when both came through almost immediately, he pointed the Auror to the two Death Eaters in his classroom, ignored for the most part by the man who looked strangely familiar, and then recorded the prophecy told to him for the Ministry.

"She'll need to register as a seer, it will make it easier for us to keep up with her." Severus nodded took a breath.

"I believe that, unlike the cases of those who take on an animagus form, there is no reason to register as a seer unless she plans to pursue reading the future as her career path, is that not correct?" He cocked an eyebrow, the man furrowed his flat brow, an annoyed look pinched his face as the other left through the floo with two floating, screaming Death Eaters.

"If she were to tell a prophecy alone no one would be there to have the record." The man huffed, collecting the little orb that contained the copy of the prophecy Luna had told.

"And yet, the future would still play out in the same order, I assure you sir, should she _decide_ to register her status I will happily bring her to you myself. Otherwise you will not harass her. She is still a student under the protection of her Hogwarts Professors, and the Headmistress would be incredibly displeased to hear of harassment inflicted upon her students. Most especially one who fought alongside us in the final battle, defending our very way of life. Her role may not have earned her a medal as it did myself, and the trio, but it should have, she was a vital part of our efforts." He stared the other man down, black eyes daring him to argue.

"My card, if she decides." He handed Severus a thick slip of paper, covered in words that shimmered and vanished to be replaced with a title and office number, before vanishing to reveal a quote he didn't care to read.

"Good day." Severus was exhausted, he wanted nothing more than to sleep and sleep he would- as soon as he finished the very necessary task of owling Minerva and taking care of Lovegood.

"Good evening, Mister Snape."

"Master." He snipped, dark eyes fixed on the back of the man turning from him.  
"I am Master Snape, a title I have earned, and deserve to be called by." He could see the faint shudder run up and down the man's spine before he left, head up. Severus would have been more than happy to strip him of every inch of his pride, if he weren't so bloody tired.

Massaging the bridge of his nose he left his chambers through his office to find the blonde witch who'd been all but asleep before staring up at him with keen silver eyes.

"There's someone here." She glanced to the door, her wards falling. It surprised him they held as long as they had, despite her exhaustion and he looked to the open door. Minerva stood there.

"Perfect." He hissed under his breath, swiped a hand through his hair, and could do little more than fall to the lounge, just beside Lovegood's feet.

"Severus, what is the meaning of all this?" She questioned, sweeping into the room, bypassing the chair the blonde witch had displaced with grace.

"I had planned to owl you but this is a convenient turn of events. The castle seems to have a weak-point, a pair of Death Eaters utilized that space to enter and attempt to attack myself. Ms. Lovegood acted on my orders to ensure that none of the students, or staff entered and was injured when caught off guard. During my attempt to subdue the attackers Ms. Lovegood shared with me a prophecy, one I will be happy to pry from my skull for you in the morning, if you please, Headmistress." He huffed, Minerva looked between them now, her eyes straying to Lovegood's and lingering there for a long moment.

"It is unfortunate that the world cannot always work the way we wish, Headmistress, that sometimes it must turn the way instead, that we need." The blue-green eyes of Minerva turned misty for a moment and she nodded, looking between them for a moment.

"Yes, well, I will be certain to have the wards checked in all areas of the castle. Please see to the well-being of Ms. Lovegood." She glanced between them again, before drifting out.

Severus had the feeling that Minerva knew something he didn't, and he didn't like that at all.


	19. Chapter 18

"She clearly said 'he was born'." Luna tipped her head as she watched the 'adults' bicker amongst themselves. Snape was stood beside her, where she was seated in a plush red chair, Trelawney nearly draped across him as they, along with Headmistress McGonagall tried to figure out the prophecy she'd told.

She shifted in her seat and a pair of dark eyes caught her for a moment, Snape was staring down at her, eyebrow cocked.

She offered him a half-smile and shrug, feeling a bit stifled by all of the arguing in the room.

"That doesn't necessarily mean he, it could be a female, it could be anyone, and what did it mean by 'first death'?" Luna watched his dark eyes leave her to focus on Sybill's face again, she had her arm draped over his shoulder and no matter how many times he shifted she didn't release him.

Luna had to fight herself not to giggle at the display.

The dark wizard was clearly uncomfortable, and Sybill was as oblivious as ever.

"Yes, but whose first death are we considering? So many were lost in that first war." McGonagall had her hat in her hands, shifting it around and fidgeting with the fabric, her eyes cloudy in thought.

"Obviously he-who-must-not-be-named!" Sybill hissed, looking around the room, her magnified eyes wide and buggy in her face. Luna tipped her head in thought, her tongue trapped between her lips.

"Voldemort?" Snape scoffed, eyebrow cocked and Luna glanced up at him. His posture had changed, stiffening, his shoulders squared. She knew he thought that nightmare was over, they all did, did this mean it wasn't?  
"I highly doubt he has found another means of return, it's preposterous to consider." He hissed, looking between McGonagall and Sybill. Luna sucked a breath, readying herself to speak before being cut off by Sybill speaking.

"Because he did not return the first time? It's imperative we look at this from all angles! Could he have had a son, a daughter before he was sent away the first time by attacking the Potters?" Sybill may not have noticed the sharp intake of breath on Snape's part, nor the way he clenched his teeth, his jaw muscle flexing.

Luna however did. Without a thought to the consequences she slipped her hand and wrist around his arm that dangled beside her. Her fingers hooked into the thick fabric of his frockcoat's sleeve and applying enough pressure to catch his attention. Sharp eyes, dark as night caught her, the little flecks of silver nearly overwhelmed by his irritation.

"Sometimes, the simplest solution is the right one. Dumbledore told me that once." She smiled dreamily, her eyes drifting across the room to the portrait of the old Headmaster, he smiled down at her.  
"If we assume that it is Voldemort, and that he has occupied the body of his own child then everything else makes sense. His child would have been born in the same year as I was, given Harry is a year older than me, and that would mean he would still be a seventh year." She paused, glancing at the other faces in the room. Snape was watching her, brow furrowed.

"But would he be a seventh year here?" McGonagall spoke, Luna shook her head, her hand still hooked around Snape's arm, he didn't seem to be attempting to escape her grasp.

"No, I don't think so, I think whoever he chose to reproduce with would have been given strict orders to keep him far away from the former Headmaster, Harry, or anyone else that would be with the Order. He would be attending another school, Durmstrang most likely as the Headmaster there is a former Death Eater as well."

"Ms. Lovegood, you may just be on to something." McGonagall spoke, Snape was still staring down at her and she loosened her fingers, trailing them along his arm for a short moment before pulling away entirely. He was calm, and that had been the only reason she'd touched him in the first place.

"Unfortunately, this does not lead us any closer to answers." It was Snape's turn to talk, he was still staring down at her.

Severus lay in his bed, contemplating the afternoon. He'd been in conference with Ms. Lovegood, Minerva, and Sybill, all contemplating the meaning of her prophecy.

That wasn't what his mind was hung up on, however. No, he was stuck on the way her small hand had wrapped around his arm, the way her slender fingers had tugged at the fabric of his sleeve. It had been surprising, at first.

He was accustomed to Sybill's attentions, knowing that it was inevitable and how to avoid the worst of her advances but he'd only just grown accustomed to the way Luna Lovegood touched others. Her gentle hand and soft smiles made every ounce of rage he'd had at Sybill for daring to bring up the Potters ebb away.

He rolled onto his side, irritation prickling at his insides at the mere thought. Still it flowed away when he considered the warmth of her hand through his sleeve, the way she looked up at him with those sweet silvery eyes.

Black hair lay across his face, tickling his cheek and making him huff a breath.

He wasn't going to be getting sleep this night, that much was obvious. Slipping from the bed and redressing in his frockcoat and robes was an easy- mindless task. He'd spent so many nights awake, wandering the halls of Hogwarts, looking for students to punish it was as if it was second nature when he couldn't sleep.

Slipping from his chambers and into his dimly lit classroom he secured his wards, still a lingering hint of Luna Lovegood's magic mixed there, and left.

He started with the dungeons, working his way and up and up through the castle until finally he'd finished inspecting every level. He began to move back down, displeased it had only taken him an hour to finish one round of the entire castle, mostly thanks to the lack of students wandering the halls.

The slight figure of a student caught his attention on the second floor. His eyes honing in on the long braid of blonde hair that hung down the girl's back. She was wearing an oversized Ravenclaw jumper.

"Ms. Lovegood, what are you doing out of bed at this hour?" He tried to keep his tone flat, annoyed, as he would speak to any other student.

She didn't turn, didn't acknowledge him at all and it took several long strides to catch up to her where she was still walking.

He caught her shoulder, stopping her from moving and he could feel through the jumper she was ice cold. Her legs were bare and he could see gooseflesh on the pale expanse of skin.

What exactly was she doing?

"Ms. Lovegood, you should know better than anyone you will answer me when I speak to you." He bit out, tugging her by the shoulder and watching as her upper body swayed. He released her, brow furrowed, and watched as she began to walk again. Her steps were small, slow and sluggish and he cleared his throat.

Rounding on her was easy with the pace she was moving and he was less surprised than he might have been to find her eyes were closed. He recalled then, being informed she had a terrible habit of sleepwalking and talking, and several other activities and sighed to himself.

Of course, she was sleep walking.  
No, that wasn't a tinge of guilt he felt for believing she would ever disregard him.

Now, how did he get her back where she belonged?

Contemplating for a moment she was coming closer to him, walking at the same pace as ever and he brushed black hair from his face. He was surprised he'd never come across her on his rounds before now, he'd heard of Minerva finding her. Even Flitwick and Pomona had mentioned having to attempt to rouse her and send her back to her rooms.

He recalled that in Minerva's case the girl had hit her head, when Pomona had woken her she'd been fine, and Flitwick had refused to speak of the experience. He wondered if that meant it was bad?

So, did he wake her, or attempt to steer her back to the Ravenclaw dorms? Getting her inside would be yet another difficulty. He sighed, taking a few steps back so he was still stood in front of the witch and was caught off guard when she stopped walking.

She held out a hand and took a step forward, he watched with interest as she approached, hand outstretched until the flat of her palm was against his chest.

He cocked an eyebrow, holding in the gasp of breath he felt build at the touch. Wide silvery eyes fluttered open, first catching on her hand against his chest before trailing upwards to his face.

"Oh, hello Professor." She breathed dreamily, blinking, she didn't remove her hand from his chest and he lay his hand over hers, observing her for a long moment.  
"I suppose you couldn't sleep? Stress does that, I could recommend a wonderful mantra to chant at bedtime, I also know of several books that are quite dull, perfect for putting someone to sleep."

He surprised himself by chuckling at her words, his hand still holding hers against his chest.

"I will remember that, Ms. Lovegood. Perhaps for now I will walk you back to your dorm and you can focus on keeping yourself in bed." Her face shifted almost imperceptibly. If he weren't accustomed to reading others he might not have caught it. She moved to pull her hand away and he held fast, stopping her.  
"Or would you prefer to have a bit of hot chocolate, you seem to be quite chilled." Her face broke a smile at this and his chest constricted. Such a strange feeling that attempted to take him over as her slender fingers wiggled beneath his.

"Hot chocolate sounds wonderful." She used her free hand to fidget with her wand that was surprisingly tucked behind her ear. He wondered if she slept with it there, strange witch.

"Come then, we'll warm your chill with a fire, I assume my sitting room will satisfy? You've been there enough times as it is." He glanced to her face, beginning to lead her by the hand he still held toward his chambers in the dungeons. She nodded, a faint smile on her lips.

He told himself it was only to keep her warm when he tugged her closer to him, just as he told himself he would finally be able to question her as to how she made it into his chambers the first time. They would finally be alone long enough to have a proper conversation.

And it wasn't a thrill of excitement that rushed through him at the prospect.


	20. Chapter 19

Luna held her mug of cocoa, both slender hands hooked around the warm porcelain as she held it close to her face and inhaled the rich scent.

"This isn't from the kitchens." She smiled softly, this cocoa was far too rich to be standard Hogwarts faire. While yes, the house elves did make a wonderful cup of cocoa she was more than aware that the school did not keep such blends.

"You are much cleverer than you are given credit for, Ms. Lovegood. No, it is not the school's, instead I thought I would share my own personal stock with you. Belgian dark chocolate soothes without being overly sweet, I find." She eyed him over the rim of her mug, the man never ceased to amaze her. He was the picture of perfection sat across from her in a tall, black wingback chair, one leg crossed over the other, sleeves of his white undershirt rolled up to his elbows. He'd discarded his frockcoat and robes as soon as he'd settled her onto the sofa, before offering her the mug of wonderfully scented cocoa.

His heavy, black dragonhide boots were settled beside his chair as he leant back, watching her with his own mug cradled in a slender, elegant hand. She wondered, not for the first time if the man understood how entirely alluring he was, how the dark confidence he exuded- hiding that tender interior- drew her.

"Sir, I really feel we are past the point of formalities, aren't we?" She sipped her cocoa, her eyes closing in pleasure at the rich, thick liquid rolling across her tongue and soothing a path down her throat. She forced back her moan of contentment and opened silvery eyes to catch him in her typically flighty gaze.  
"I ask you, once more, won't you please call me Luna?" She licked her lips, as if to relieve them of the heady, rich chocolate and he watched her, eyes dark in the dimly lit room.

The fire burning in the hearth cast strangely sharp shadows across him, making him look more like the terror from her youth and less like the man she was coming to understand. Still, she never thought she'd have it in her to fear him. She understood all too well the subtle meaning of the looks that flashed out of his eyes.

"Shall we come to an accord, Ms. Lovegood?" He leant forward, elbows propping on spread knees, black socked feet flat on the floor beneath him. She liked the way his hair swayed around his face when he leaned forward in such a manner.

She tipped her head questioningly, dreamy silver eyes as open as ever. She liked the way he maintained eye-contact. In fact, she thought there was little she could find to _dislike_ about the brooding wizard.

"You're a fair man." Came her only response, melodic voice drifting across the room and caressing his ears, the same way his deep timbre soothed across her own eardrums. Both were in possession of unique voices, though they were vastly different in the way they met those around them, just another stark difference between the two.

 _Yin and yang_. Luna thought, her eyes still fixed on the wizard, she took another slow drink of her cocoa, indulging in the way it soothed her.

She needed it, the man was more than capable of stripping her of what little wits she was thought to possess, which weren't many. The blonde was an observant witch, ever watchful of those around her, she knew he was a master of stripping the wits of those around him and bending them to his will.

And Merlin how she longed to be bent to his will.

"I will call you by your given name, this evening and any other I see fit, if you will tell me how you managed entrance to my chambers. How did you discover my password?" He cocked an eyebrow at her, as if daring she should argue with him and not accept his deal.

Luna curled her legs under herself, sitting cross-legged, pale skin prickling in the cool dungeon air. His warming charms were strangely absent as she sat curled into his sofa.

"Will you let me call you by name?" Her voice was quiet, the melodic tone soft as it drifted across the room, not quite her usual soprano, affected by the nerves that rioted through her.

The heaviness of those dark eyes he boasted held her. One of his many beauties, one of the few others were willing to acknowledge.

"When I see fit to call you by name you may reciprocate, you will not use my given name first. Have we a deal, Ms. Lovegood?" Her tongue was trapped between her lips, pale blonde eyebrows furrowed as she thought on it for a long minute before nodding.

"When I was held in Malfoy Manor," she took a deep breath, this was not something she'd discussed with anyone, not since she'd been liberated from the terrible place and its abusive inhabitants. She'd barely managed to tell the man the story behind her wand, she trusted him implicitly, he would be the only person to know her story that was not there to see it unfold.  
"Voldemort thought I would make a wonderful asset to him as a pureblooded witch and Seer. My father was considered a traitor for giving his support to Harry Potter through the Quibbler but I would have been absolved of my father's sins if I would only give the wicked snake the information he sought, the little glimpses into the future he so desired."

He was staring at her, dark eyes concentrated, fingers twined tightly despite his posture, still leant forward, elbows on his knees. He looked dangerous, she liked the way his eyes burned white hot behind deep, dark coals.

"Yes Luna, you have shared as much, how does this relate to knowing my password?" He cocked an eyebrow, her breath caught in her throat at her name from him before a brilliant smile stole her mouth, she couldn't help it. She adored the way his lips formed around her simple name, making it sound like something more, something exotic, something beautiful.

She could see his pause at her smile and forced herself to react calmly. She couldn't scare him away, not now, they were making such lovely progress.

"He told me about her, about Harry's mum, about how he'd offered to spare her because you brought him the Prophecy, the way she threw herself between Harry and the killing curse." She paused, she could see the pain radiating from his eyes and it was all she could take.

Her mug settled forgotten on the end table beside her she stood from her sofa perch and moved the few steps to stand in front of him. Silvery eyes locked on him, nearly eye level with her sitting up straight as he did now.

"He told me of your love, your devotion for a witch of lesser birth, he wanted to know where your true loyalty fell. He thought I could tell him, he thought I could show him the future you had planned for him in the leaves, or a crystal ball." His eyes had closed against the onslaught of pain, the wound shouldn't be so fresh.

He was unworthy of this second chance at life. Certainly he'd not managed to atone for all of his sins.

Her voice dropped to a whisper, a hand coming up to hook into his hair, even as his eyes remained closed, refusing to see her.

"It's easy to guess when you know the one true desire of the man who has set the word. _Lily_." he choked a quiet sob and she pushed her fingers deeper into his hair, working her long nails across his scalp in what she hoped was a soothing way.  
"Is she still your heart's desire Severus? Even now, after all you've been through in her name, would you go to her if she stood in front of you, calling to you?" Eyes so close to onyx she couldn't tell where his iris began and his pupil ended flashed open to catch her in their depths. Luna took a deep breath, her fingers still working against his scalp, a soothing, loving gesture.

She wanted nothing more than to soothe the ache in his soul, she wanted to help him through this, not bury it, not drag it as baggage, but to truly move on, to work through the things he still allowed himself to suffer.

"It is not worth mentioning, it will never happen." He ground out, his eyes still bearing down on hers, daring her to look away from him, to shrink away and prove to him exactly what he already knew of himself.

 _Unworthy_. The smooth silk of his voice drifted through her mind, the deepest of his thoughts.

She pulled her other hand up, using both to scratch her nails along his scalp, gently, reverently.

"Professor Dumbledore was a good man, he always fought for what was right but even in those days, even in my days as a new eyed student, staring at him behind the lectern, billowing robes and bright wisdom it was visible. He only wanted a means to the end, a way to save the light and banish the evil that lurked on the horizon.

"He sacrificed you, he beat you down and tugged your soul in every which direction. I could see the sadness in your eyes when we were tortured by the Carrows, I could see you turning your blind eye to our meetings. Didn't the elves always know in those days to bring you tea with that soft hint of chamomile, that hint of jasmine? I told them, the honey to bring, the subtle things to add. I knew you were alone, Severus. I see you." She was still looking him in the eye and she forced her gaze not to wander as it was wont to do.

"Your words are pretty Luna, but I fear you do not understand the man you attempt to comfort. I killed my first love, the one woman who ever cared for me, the only friend I possessed for so many years." His voice was deep, husky and velvet and she reveled in the way it rolled across her skin, down her spine.

"Isn't that the problem? You wanted to possess her but she was never yours to have." She grasped his face between her hands, soothing motions stopping as she bent just enough to be eye level. His fingers twitched where they rested on the arms of his chair and it didn't go unnoticed.

She never let anything go unnoticed, especially not where he was concerned.

"She belonged to James Potter, she gave him her heart, and her soul, and everything that she was became Potter. I know it hurts, I know it isn't fair and I know you loved her so much. I'm your friend, Severus Snape, I've been your friend for longer than you know, longer than you were able to see." His hands covered her own on either side of his face and he heaved a sigh.

"She was mine, before she was his." Luna shook her head, blonde hair swaying around her as she took a step back from him, removing her hands from the side of his face.

She plastered the smile on her face, the one she wore for everyone.

"You should have some Gillywater before bed, Professor. Thank you for the cocoa, I should be returning to my dorm." He wasn't ready, he wasn't ready for her truths, he needed time, time without her in his face and she could see it, burning out of his eyes, that need to think, the need to ponder.

He was an intelligent wizard and she knew she'd brought to the fore some very painful, but necessary memories.

"Sleep well, Ms. Lovegood." She barely heard the utterance as she slipped from his chambers, her heart breaking for the only man she would ever love.


	21. Chapter 20

"Neville!" Severus' eyes shot up from his focus on grading as Luna Lovegood's melodic voice broke across the room. Her chair was screeching backwards faster than he could blink and she'd all but launched herself across the room and into the waiting arms of a familiar brunette.

Neville Longbottom had grown, Severus realized, he was tall, a slightly lanky with all of his father's features and his mother's soft eyes. He embraced the petite witch tightly, her feet in the air as he held her up against him with a broad smile and closed eyes. His face was buried in her hair throughout their intense hug and Severus couldn't help but scowl.

"Mr. Longbottom, to what do we owe the pleasure?" He huffed, locking his former student in a dark gaze as he settled Lovegood to her feet. She was staring up at him, dreamy smile in place, her hair a mess from her wild flight across the room.

Severus felt his stomach twinge at the way she stared at the boy, as if she were being reunited with a long-lost love.

"Ah, hullo Professor Snape, I came by to see my favorite girl, I was talking about my apprenticeship with Professor Sprout." He smiled, hooking his arm around her shoulders as she turned to face Severus himself. She had a dreamy smile on her face and he almost growled, _almost_.

What was he doing? Getting possessive of Luna Lovegood? Oh, Merlin what was wrong with him!?

"I knew you would be coming soon, you haven't written me in some time." She turned those silvery eyes up to him, smiling earnestly and Severus took a deep breath, reigning himself in. Hadn't they just spoken about Lily the night before?

He couldn't lose sight of his truth, the idea that he would ever be worthy of something as beautiful, as innocent and pure as Luna Lovegood was a ridiculous thought in itself, not to mention that someone so much younger than himself could ever desire him in return.

No, she belonged with someone like Neville Longbottom. Someone who had shown such extreme bravery and compassion all throughout his Hogwarts career, and he'd grown into a fine looking young man.

He fought down the bile that rose in his throat.

"Yes, well, Ms. Lovegood is tending her duties as my assistant for the moment, certainly you can grace her with your presence _later_." Longbottom looked between them then, his eyes flitting first to the blonde witch and then to Severus before turning back to the blonde.

"Aye Luna, you said he'd been in better spirits lately, you shouldn't be telling such fibs." He smirked, slipping into an all too familiar accent, one Severus had fought tooth and nail to rid himself of after his less than graceful upbringing.

"Be nice," she smiled up at him, her head near craned back to look up at the boy who'd once been one of her closest friends. "You know Slytherins never show their true colors in front of a perceived threat."

"I hardly see how I could perceive either of you as a threat." Severus felt his hackles rising. Luna turned back to him, her dreamy eyes catching him.

"I'll see you later Neville." She kissed his cheek, ushering him from the room grumbling while Severus sat stiff behind his desk, watching her with guarded eyes.

She drifted closer, her movements so smooth, so graceful that he could barely think she was genuinely moving until she stood right beside him, still stalk straight in his chair, behind his desk.

"Is everything okay, Professor? Neville didn't mean anything by interrupting us, we haven't seen one another in many, many months."

Severus couldn't help but turn to her, his chair sliding across the floor as he moved so his knees were pointed toward the witch, she watched him, her open face curious.

"Long distance relationships can be quite difficult I have heard." Her eyes went wide at his words before a wild peel of lighthearted laughter ripped from her throat.

"Oh Professor! Neville and I?" Her light, melodic laughter faded to little giggles and he could feel his hackles rising again. She stepped closer, entirely occupying his space and his fingers twitched where they clutched the fabric of his robes atop his thighs. He wanted to reach out and cover her little waist with his hands, he wanted to drag her closer to him.

Ever since their encounter in his chambers, ever since she'd stroked her fingers through his hair, rubbed his scalp so soothingly- it was all he could think of. Touching her, being touched. Merlin how he craved it, _touch_ , such a simple action that held so many different meanings, different intents and outcomes.

"May I drop formality for a moment, sir?" Her voice was quiet, drifting across his ears, his skin, caressing his very core. He closed his eyes, a soft nod as she loomed closer. Lemongrass, melon, a hint of parchment and an almost woodsy smell clung to her. She must have been out hunting her creatures earlier.

"Thank you." She whispered, he tensed when her fingers worked their way into his hair again, nails scratching along his scalp and nearly making him purr. Merlin what the witch could do with her sweet artist's hands!  
"Neville and I aren't together, Severus. He's been my best friend for so long, since he lost his silly little frog, Trevor, on the train our first year. We love each other, as a brother loves a sister, as best friends, as confidants. He is a vault of integrity where secrets are concerned and he always tried to stand up for me, even when everyone else wanted to take away my shoes and laugh at my glasses." He opened his eyes to see her smiling wistfully. He adored her sweet voice, the way it drifted slowly around the room, sweet and honeyed, soft and airy.

"It is none of my concern, Luna, who you see." His own much deeper, darker timbre broke across the room, shattering the illusion her honeyed voice drew but she didn't break his gaze, she didn't cease her ministrations against his scalp with her lovely nails.

"None at all, Severus?" She moved so her face was closer to his ear, her fingers drawing a line down from his scalp, across his jaw, to his neck. He shuddered, feeling the familiar stir of sensation in his groin, hot insistent.

"Do not tease me, witch." He growled, his breath shallow, his fingertips digging into the tops of his thighs. Merlin, she smelled so good, her warmth drifting between them, the ebb and flow of her magic as it searched out his, a gentle caress.

"Have you ever seen me do more than hug a friend? Than hold someone's hand when they were in pain, in need?" Her whisper brought up gooseflesh across his neck, his breath was so tight in his chest, so tight.

He shook his head, knowing the answer. He'd never seen her so much as bat an eye in more than a friendly manner at someone else. What did that mean? What did everything mean?

Why was she forcing such sensations through him?

"I'm not teasing you, Severus." Her right hand was still caressing his scalp, her left had drifted down to lay flat against his chest. He could feel her warmth, through even the heavy layers of wool he wore, through robes, and frockcoat, and his crisp white dress shirt beneath it all.

Her palm burned a path straight to his skin and he closed his eyes against the touch. He was seconds away, moments from grabbing her and anchoring her to him. So many invitations, so many open looks and small touches.

"You should leave, Ms. Lovegood." He didn't look up to see her face, didn't want to know the look in her eyes. She drew first the hand atop his chest away and he almost cried out at the loss of her warmth.

"Is that really what you want?" Her fingers were still in his hair, her body still so close to his, drowning him in her sweetness, her light.

"It's what you need." He felt her fingers still, her hand drew back and he dared a look at her. There it was, that smile, fixed across her face, lost and dreamy.

He was beginning to see the cracks, a mask? Could it truly be that someone as kind, as innocent, as pure as Luna Lovegood put on a mask of her own every day? The mask of a smile.

"Do you enjoy Shakespeare, Professor?" Her question caught him off guard and his eyes locked on hers, silver and deep onyx clashing with one another.

"I cannot say I either dislike, or particularly like the playwright, your reasoning?" His voice was low, dimmed by the emotions, the sensations that stirred through him. She tipped her head, a few locks of incredibly long blonde hair fell into her face.

She took another step back from him, removing her from arm's length.

"One quote, simple and beautiful. My mother's favorite, did you know, it is difficult when one is placed in an arranged marriage? My mother and father were two of a kind, perfect for one another, but they didn't know before they were brought together, they barely knew one another. Mum used to tell me, when she tucked me in at night, she'd say; ' _Remember Luna love, it is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves.'_ " She took a breath, her gaze burning into his.

"My mum took that quote from Shakespeare, he was her favorite, and her mums before her. I think it's important you know that, Professor, that your destiny, no matter how things are meant to play out, it is your decisions, your beliefs, and your choices that change the way, that plot the course. Our trip to our destiny can be ours, in the palm of our hands, walking there with pride and happiness, or we can flounder our way to the end." She gave him that small, cracking smile again.  
"I will greet my destiny with open arms, and an open heart, what will you do?"

She turned and left him, not a goodbye from her lips as the door shut silently behind her. His head fell to his hands, palms gripping it tightly, fingers buried in his own fall of dark hair.

He wanted, her and he wanted to push her away.

"Indeed Luna, what will I do?" He exhaled on a sigh, deciding he'd certainly had enough grading for one day.


	22. Chapter 21

Luna stared out over the lake, it had grown dark in the time she'd been outside and the temperature had dropped considerably. Her eyes however had not strayed from the shimmering dark surface so like the eyes she'd grown so fond of.

There was moisture on her cheeks and it had taken her nearly an hour to understand that the steady stream from her eyes was, in fact, tears. She hadn't cried since the death of Pandora Lovegood, so many years ago and she wondered, is this her fate? To hurt inside so much that she couldn't find a way to manage the pain?

She'd thought her destiny looked happy, she'd always clung to that idea, that she would have a happy future, just like that she saw for almost all of those around her- all who survived the war.

She didn't bother to wipe her eyes, it was healing to cry, and though it was something she'd not done in so many years it wasn't because she fought the urge. She'd simply not suffered the need, she'd always found a bright side. Now though, now sitting on the edge of the black lake, her eyes staring into its depths, unperturbed by even a soft breeze.

She didn't even notice, in her ever-perceptive nature the forms of Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom turning away from her, marching toward the castle. The redhead of the two nearly afire with her irritation.

Severus choked on his firewhiskey when the door to his office slammed open. He was all at once stunned and enraged to see the slight figure of Ginevra Weasley standing in his doorway.

She was flanked by Longbottom on one side and a rather contrite looking Granger on the other.

He cocked an eyebrow, at a loss for what more he could possibly do.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Ms. Weasley?"

"You are the biggest git I have ever met, sir!" Granger's eyes went wide, Longbottom nodded, Severus was again, all at once stunned and enraged. He held the reigns on his anger and pursed his lips, downing the rest of his firewhiskey in one swallow.

"It has hardly escaped my notice that I am the 'biggest git' most every student at Hogwarts has met. What have I done to raise your hackles now, Ms. Weasley?" Fixed in her burning gaze he almost shrank. So much like her mother she was, all fire and hot temper and wild instinct to defend those weaker than herself.

As far as he was aware he'd not hurt anyone weaker than herself however.

"I've harbored a healthy respect for you sir, ever since the war." She started, stomping into the room and falling into one of the chairs opposite his desk. Granger came to stand behind her, threading her fingers through the redhead's hair, Longbottom sat in the chair beside her, eyes filled with unmasked contempt.

"Whatever you've done to Luna, it's terrible." He muttered lowly, refusing to look Severus in the eye and he froze. Luna? What had happened to the witch exactly?

Worry bubbled and stirred in his gut.

"That girl is worth ten of you! Git!" Weasley fell back toward Granger, her head resting now on the other girl's stomach, fingers worked delicately at her scalp and he was briefly reminded of the comfort offered him by Luna.

These girls were lovers though, were they not?  
The action certainly seemed the same, the affection given and received.

He closed his eyes, attempting to control his spiraling thoughts.

"Is Ms. Lovegood okay? She hasn't been injured, has she?"

Longbottom scoffed at him. He'd never heard such a disdainful, harsh sound from the once sweet Gryffindor boy.

"It's no secret I've not liked you Snape. You scared me somethin' awful, but not anymore. Never, I've never seen Luna cry, not until tonight, didn't even see us did she? Lost in her own sad world."

Granger took over for him here, surprising him by speaking for the first time in her low, rational voice.

"She has feelings you know. She is a person, human, capable of more depth of emotion than anyone I've ever met, aside from perhaps Harry. Unconditional love is hard to come by sir." She gave Weasley a long, affectionate look, brown eyes sparkling.

Crying, she was crying? Hadn't he heard this from someone else as well? Never seen her cry since her mother died.

Merlin, had he really hurt her so much? He hadn't done anything, nothing at all.

His stomach turned over.

Of course, that was the problem, he'd done nothing. Absolutely nothing and it had hurt her, gods had he gone and bollocksed up another chance at happiness?

"Where is she?" This seemed to catch all of them off guard as he stood, steady on his feet despite the several glasses of firewhiskey he'd consumed. He loomed over them all and for a moment he could see it, they were children again, just small students waiting for him to berate them, to cut them down.

Only, that wasn't how he operated, not nearly so harshly now the war was one. The Dark Lord, Riddle, he was gone, or at least, as gone as they could hope for him to be at the moment.

He needed to pull his head out of his arse and do something about Luna Lovegood, be it end all association and stop the madness, or give in to his desire for her affection.

One or the other, he needed one or the other.

"Well?" He cocked an impatient eyebrow, derogatory in its lift and all three stared at him wide eyed for another moment before Granger spoke.

"She's been by the black lake all day, we tried to take her a blanket but she was crying and, well, it stunned us all, Sir."

"Out, all of you. You won't lose house points for this, Ms. Granger, Ms. Weasley, but should you storm into my office like such a hellion again I will be forced to take measures. I have matters to attend." The Weasley chit had the audacity to smile as he ushered them from his office, locking and warding the door as he strode away, leaving them standing, staring at his billowing cloak.

"Think we got through to him?" Ginny turned to her girlfriend and best male friend, Neville nodded.

"She's told me so many times how she feels for him, like nothing the girl's ever felt, she deserves this happiness. Everyone's always bullyin' her, treatin' 'er like she's not worth the dirt on 'ere shoes."

"Your accent is slipping, Nev." Hermione giggled, wrapping her arm around her girlfriend's shoulders, he blushed.

"Happens when I get upset, gram says it's the Longbottom curse." They all three chuckled at this and glanced back to where the retreating figure of their Potions Professor had been.

"I hope he makes things right with her."

"He will Gin, he will."

She was standing on the edge of the lake when he found her, arms wrapped around her and eyes locked on the still waters of the lake.

The moonlight glinted off a trail of water down her right cheek, the only one he could see and he realized with a sinking feeling they were right, she had been crying.

"Oh Luna, I'm not worth your tears." He breathed quietly, certain she probably wouldn't even hear him. True to form however her head snapped in his direction, wide silvery eyes locked on his face as that steady stream of tears still trailed her cheeks.

"Surely you must be, if I'm crying them." She turned her face back to the lake away from him, though if it was because she was more interested in what was there, or if it was because she was unable to look upon him any longer he couldn't be sure.

He came closer, coming to stand right beside her and she shifted her gaze to look up at him again.

"I suppose someone must have told you I was here, you didn't have to come, Professor."

"Severus, I am Severus to you, Luna." She looked away again, she looked to be attempting to pull that smile mask back on but it was fighting her.  
"Don't hide from me, please." Severus turned to face her, black hair swaying around his face as he brought a hand up to cup her cheek, her tears were warm despite the cool air as he wiped them away with the pad of his thumb.

She managed a weak smile, her eyes holding his own as he cupped her cheek, wanting nothing more than to touch her more, to draw her closer.

And he'd thought he would end their association all together? He must have been insane, he couldn't bear the idea of being away from her for any length of time.

"I'm sorry I've done this to you, my poor girl, my sweet angel." He breathed as she came closer, she managed the sad illusion of a smile and pressed her face closer to his hand, as if begging him not to leave.  
"You've told me before you can see me, well, I can see you as well, Luna Lovegood. Your beauty is not only the in fact that you simply don't seem to care about the opinion of others but that you care so much about their feelings. Come here." He couldn't stop himself any longer, he pulled her into his embrace, holding her tight to his chest, one hand still on her cheek, the other arm wrapped around her lower back as he stretched low to hold her.

His hand moved, stroking through her long blonde hair, savoring the softness as it slipped through his fingers and she cooed into his chest, her body pressed against his. He could smell her, the sharp lemongrass and sweet melon of her, the tang of something else.

Something he couldn't quite put his finger on but that was so indescribably her it was driving him mad.

"You asked me what I would do, Luna, I want to greet my fate with you, with open arms." He held her tighter, his hand leaving her cheek to join the other around her lower back. He felt her sigh, her fingers fisted in his teaching robes and he suddenly wished there was so much less between them.

"Thank the great Goddess for that!" Her arms snaked up until they were around his neck, her fingers buried themselves in his hair and her nails worked across his scalp, soothing any worry he may have been fighting.

"Merlin if you ever stop doing that I may lose my slight grip on sanity." She laughed, it was sweet, and melodic, and airy, and everything he adored about his Luna, his sweet angel.


	23. Chapter 22

"Come, let me take you back inside, sweet girl." She pulled back from him with wide silvery eyes looking up into his face and he smirked. He adored the way he could read her face. "It wouldn't do for you to become sick this close to All Hallows."

"I have always enjoyed the feast." Her airy voice drifted over him as he pulled back from her and allowed his hand to fall to her lower back. Guiding her back to the castle, she drifted beside him, her soft sway brushing her side against his as they walked. "I more enjoy the festivities after the feast however." He cocked an eyebrow at this.

"Festivities? Do tell." Luna stopped, turning to face him, he was forced to stop with her and stared down at her with interest. He had never heard of any festivities that took place after the All Hallows feast.

"I thought all of the staff was aware, though I suppose if they've kept it from you they must have good reason." She paused, thoughtfully, her silvery eyes glinting moonlight holding him entranced, enraptured as she spoke. "Well, I suppose the proverbial Horklump is out of the satchel now I should go ahead and tell you." She paused, looking thoughtful, and then proceeded to speak further; "After every feast all of the elder students, fifth years and up, host a party- it was inspired by the muggleborn students. We dress up as some rather interesting characters and come together in a group of classrooms sanctioned by Professor Dumbledore, and now McGonagall."

"My Slytherins participate in this?" He had cocked an imperious eyebrow but the blonde witch only nodded rapidly, swaying her pale hair around her with a bright smile on her face.

"Oh yes, they often when the costume competitions with their clever ideas! In fact, Blaise Zabini won in his sixth year." Her enthusiasm should not have surprised him, really, but somehow it did and he found himself thinking hard on the idea. Why wouldn't any of the rest of the staff shared it with him?

Of course, as the resident hard-arse he would have been expected to put a damper on the children's fun. He just might have in the days he was still heavily mourning Lily, her death coming on the very day itself. A darkness passed over him and he could feel his own walls returning, his own protective wards trying to shutter away his emotions.

"Severus, no, hey," her hand was on his face, soft palm cupping his cheek and he moaned, a soft desperate sound that he could not recall ever having made in the past. "Don't leave me, please do not close yourself off from me again." Her fingers worked their way up into his hair. A task for her as she had to stand on the tips of her toes to reach him, but she did so with grace. Her silvery eyes were still staring into his, pleading with him not to shut her out, not to ruin the progress they had made.

He shuddered a breath, his tense posture relaxing at the gentle, soothing sensation of her fingers caressing his scalp. "Stay with me Severus, you said you see me, look at me, see me." She exhaled, her voice so soft, so quiet he could almost fool himself into thinking she hadn't spoken. If not for the fact she was standing on her toes, her soft breath touching the skin of his throat just above his cravat and her fingers buried in his hair.

"Come with me?" She dropped back to the flats of her feet and he fought the sound of protest that clawed at his throat. He opened his eyes, unsure when he'd closed them to find her standing before him. She was looking up at him with imploring eyes and a small hand outstretched. It was an offer to take him with her and he wondered what she could possibly want with an old git like himself.

Still he took her hand in his. His eyes stared down at the contrast in size, her fingers were tiny in comparison and everything about her called to him.

"Okay…" He trailed, unsure what it was that brought him to this point, to this decision. She lead him by the hand into the castle, the warm air a sharp contrast to the rising coolness of the approaching autumn. The leaves of the Forbidden Forest were already beginning to turn, late September was fast approaching.

Luna lead him through the empty corridors, her stride confident despite his own raging anxiety that he would be seen being led by the hand, and by a student. It was a strange feeling for him to be doing something so far outside of his comfort zone but when he thought on it, Luna Lovegood always managed to put him outside of that comfort zone.

The rounded a corner, ascended a set of stairs and rounded a few more bends. The way was familiar though he couldn't think of a place that would be of interest to a student on the corridor. Where exactly was she taking him?

They stopped at a door, unfamiliar to him and she ran her fingers down the wood, the knocker, a heavy brass cherub looking boy opened his eyes and glared at them.

"You clumsy children are always bothering me, what is it you want now!?" He snarled, voice too deep for the small body he portrayed. Luna only smiled serenely at him and waited for the moving eyes to lock on her face. "Ah, Miss Luna! Well this is the most pleasant of surprises, and you've brought a friend, well, come in then, come in."

The door swung open with a dull thud and Severus peered into the dark doorway. What exactly was happening, and why had he never seen this room before?

"Thank you, sweet Cupid, I will bring messages of your love to Gnomina." She peeked around the wood to stare at the brass knocker once more and he heard the gruff voice thank her before her eyes were on him again. He was still staring into the dark doorway, eyes wide as he tried to discern just what was happening.

"What is the meaning of this?" He managed and nearly winced when his voice was much harsher than he had intended. He truly did not want to be cruel to the girl, but still his nerves were waging a war inside him. Between the frequent burning of the Dark Mark and the strange situation he had found himself in he was lucky to be able to keep himself from snarling and foaming at the anger his confusion drew forth.

"Can you trust me, Severus? Will you trust me?" Luna turned, two of her tiny hands clasping around one of his own and he stared down at her for a long moment. Trust her? Implicitly?

Was he even capable of such trust? He wasn't certain he was.

A shaky breath and his eyes drew back to the doorway, his stomach contorted inside him. Wasn't it time he placed his bets on something that could be good, on something that could be light? Would he be making yet another damning mistake to follow this witch into the darkness that lingered in front of him?

She was there though, staring up at him with her sparkling silvery eyes catching the dim torchlight of the corridor. Her hands were warm wrapped around his own chilled flesh. Severus could see the honesty in her eyes, as well as the trust she had for him.

Couldn't he give her the same courtesy?

He took a breath and, with his eyes still examining the darkness before him nodded softly. "You haven't led me astray yet, Ms.- Luna. I want to trust you, desperately so, but how do I know? How can I force myself to trust the unknown when that very trust has been betrayed so many times, when I have deceived as I have how can I ever hope to deserve the right to be near someone trustworthy?" Her fingers tightened around his and she pulled her body closer to his. She was unable to move him as he stood still- statue like in the corridor.

She was looking up at him now, head craned back and he felt almost bad for the girl, that she had to work so hard just to gain even footing with him.

"Now you listen to me, Severus Snape." Her melodic voice was firm, he forced himself not to smirk and to appear contrite. She was grasping his fingers tightly, he was sure she must be near hurting herself. "You have been through so much and I know that. I have seen glimpses and flitters of the future and I've watched you. I have watched you move between two masters, ever vigilant and always finding a way to do the right thing. I trust you with my life. Every instinct inside me says you are the most loyal, most trustworthy man in the world and following instinct is one of the most important things we can do."

She paused and he could see her thinking, her tongue trapped between her lips for a brief moment as her head tilted at him. He used his free hand to brush the hair from her face, catching his fingers in the soft- web like strands. Spider's silk, her hair was soft and baby fine, soothing to the tips of his often-abused fingers.

"Close your eyes." Her tone changed, her voice taking on the softest, most dreamlike quality he had ever heard and he couldn't help but to obey her. Yes, he knew how to use his voice to his advantage, but apparently so did Luna Lovegood. "Now, you are going to follow me," she took both of his hands now, one in each and began to walk backwards, "I'm never going to let anything happen to you Severus…" She trailed and he wanted to believe her, oh Merlin how he wanted to believe her.

She moved slowly, walking backwards, and waiting for him to take a step forward before moving again. He kept his eyes closed, his ears tuned to the soft sound of her voice as she whispered encouragement to him. Luna drew him to an unknown location and he tried to trust, he tried to trust that she would not do anything to endanger him, or herself.

Soon he found himself moving much more readily. Their motions were still baby steps but he felt the trust coming more easily, the further he followed her the more he realized he should never have fought her in the first place.

"You've done so well, you know you can trust me somewhere deep down. I would never do anything to hurt or betray you Severus." She stopped and his eyes instinctively snapped open, they were in the middle of a pitch-black room. He could not see his hand in front of his face- much less Luna. "When I was a child I was afraid of the dark. My mum, along with my Papa would sing me a rhyme, one that helped me to drift to sleep as they held my hands. It wasn't the song that helped me to sleep, it was my trust, my trust that they would never let anything happen to me."

She stepped closer, her body inserting itself into his chest and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her. Holding her slender frame in the dark room, her chest moving against him with shallow breaths.

"Are you still afraid?" he wet his dry lips, "Of the dark, that is?"

"Absolutely petrified." He could hear the smile in her voice as she nestled closer to him. "I trust you, Severus, nothing is going to happen to either one of us as long as we're together. You trusted me to follow me into this room and I want to show you- show you how this castle loves you."

"What on earth do you mean, little one?" He could feel her reach up and snag her wand from behind her left ear. The hair that it had held back fell and like waves of water it draped over his arm. Soft but there, and he did not fight the urge to run his fingers through it, to enjoy the soft fall of silken locks.

He could feel the motion of her arm as the torches settled safely in their sconces lit the room. It was almost enough to take his breath away. It was a haven like nothing he had ever seen before. Books lined the walls- tomes on everything from the Dark Arts to the Biographies of Muggle composers- and that was just what he could capture at a glance.

There was furniture in a light tan color, soft suede that looked comfortable to the touch and a roaring fire that sparked in the fireplace. A muggle record player sat in the corner of the room, surrounded by muggle records and a broadcaster for the World Wizarding Wireless network was there as well. The rug that nestled in the floor in front of the fireplace was lush, and thick, and the deepest shade of green he had ever managed to lay eyes on. The floors were a dark wood that matched the bookshelves and mantel, gleaming and shining back at him.

It was paradise. Even the lighting, low and soft yet somehow bright enough for comfortable reading was perfection.

"Sweet Merlin, what is this?" Luna smiled up at him, breaking away from his chest to move a few steps away, her knees meeting a low table in the center of the room with a box of chocolates atop it, dark, from his favorite shop in Diagon Alley. "How, how?" He was at a loss for more to say and she smiled again, unable to move further from him.

"We thought you would like it." Her wispy, melodic voice drifted over him, rolled down his spine and settled right in the pit of his stomach. She was in his arms before she could blink, his hold on her fierce as he captured and held his small angel. His little blessing.

"We, who is we?"

"Why Hogwarts of course! We're very pleased you like it." She whispered into his ear, her breath stirred his hair and he shivered gently.


	24. Chapter 23

That night it was confirmed in Snape's mind, Luna Lovegood was an absolute treasure. She was by and far the best thing to come into his life in more years than he cared to think about and as he held her wrapped in his arms he did not think he would ever find it in him to let her go.

"Luna, this is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for me, sweet girl." He stroked a hand down the back of her head, still embracing her tightly to his chest. He could feel every breath, every movement she made as she allowed herself to simply be held. It surprised him that she was so willing to be in his arms, but then she thought him worthy of her tears as well.

She truly was a special witch.

"I can do so much more for you Severus, if you'll only let me in. Let me be close to you, let me know you." How was it possible for someone to sound so desperate to be near him? Him, of all people. He was unworthy of the edge in her soft voice. Still yet he found himself nodding over her head, willing to give her whatever she wanted if she would only continue to caress him reverently as she had. He would take a quarter of the care she had shown for the same deal.

"Oh Luna, my sweet little one, can you not see you are already close to me? You have nudged and pressed your way beneath my skin and I am afraid extracting you would be far too painful. I only wonder what I could have possibly done to earn such sweetness from such a perfect young woman." He held her back, a hand on either side of her face, the silken locks of her blonde hair were trapped beneath his hands as he held her, staring down into silvery eyes.

"I'm not perfect, Severus, I'm flawed just like you." She brought her own hand up to cup his cheek and he closed his eyes. He caressed her cheekbones as he lay his face in her soft palm and wanted nothing more than the moment to last forever. As with all things however he was aware it had to end. They both had classes to attend to in the morning, the world would not stop turning just because he wished for it. No matter how badly he wanted it.

"I have to show you one more thing before we leave. I understand you know the castle like the back of your own hand but we thought it would be easier for you if you could access this, your special room, from your own chambers." She paused, looked him in the eyes steadily for a moment and walked over to one of the bookshelves. Tapping her wand on the leather binding of 'A Tale of Two Cities' he watched as the shelf vanished before his eyes, leaving a passage in its wake. "When I leave it will not respond to me anymore unless you want it to, this room is yours, for you and you alone." She began to descend the stairs and he followed, curious.

Hogwarts was so filled with surprises, it never ceased to amaze him. They came to a door at the bottom of the tall, winding iron staircase and he was surprised to see another cherub brass door knocker, this one a female.

"Hello Gnomina." Luna ran her fingers down the wood and turned to give him a soft smile. "Gnomina and Cupid are very much in love with one another, they talk through the corridors in the evenings and he asks me to send his love to her when I visit. I'm certain he would appreciate it if you would do the same when I am no longer allowed access." Her dreamy voice drifted over him and he paused, looking down at her for a long moment.

She really expected him not to include her in his secret hideaway.

"Well, then from what I understand Cupid loves you very much, Gnomina." The knocker squealed, gave him a girlish giggle, and the door shuddered.

"The password lovey." She cooed in a light feminine voice, nowhere near so lovely as Luna's but pleasing to the ear regardless.

"Oh, of course!" Luna smiled and cast him a sideways glance, now that he knew what to look for he could see the familiar cracks in her mask smile. There was so much going on beneath the surface with this witch.  
"Lily." She breathed and he felt it, like a battering ram to his senses. She would have set this password.

But why, why would she have set it with her name? She looked pained even as she said it and he could not wrap his mind around it, why would she?

The door swung open before he could say much more and she stepped through into his chambers sitting room. A direct link to his special room, he glanced back up the stairs before the door shut behind him and he sighed. His dark eyes locked on the girl, standing only a few feet away from him.

"Luna, I…" He paused when she looked up and caught him in her silvery eyes.

"I understand, it isn't a competition after all, Severus. She came first, it is to be expected." He growled when she turned to walk away from him, stopping the slight blonde witch in her tracks.

"No, you will not leave like this." He demanded, grasping her upper arm, and spinning her to face him, black eyes flashed dangerously as he stared down into her face. Her own wide silvery gaze held, though her pupils were considerably dilated. He did not have long to think on it, "I told you, you have inserted yourself under my skin, into my life. She is dead Luna, dead and gone." He turned back to the door, pointing his wand, and drawing on the spell that would allow him to change his password, it would change for all access points to his chambers.

"What is your password, Sir?" The knocker appeared on the inside of his door and he gave her a hard look before fixing his eyes on Luna standing in front of him.

"From this point forward, you will open only for the phrase ' _dulcis luna*'_." He kept his eyes on her wide silvery orbs, pleased when a little gasp escaped her soft pink lips.

Now his eyes were drawn there, he barely heard the 'yes sir' from the knocker as he stared transfixed by her lips. "Luna, if you do not want everything I have to offer I beg you, sweet girl, leave now and don't look back." His voice was a rasp, the smooth velvet of it settling across the room. He watched the way her eyes shifted to his own lips. Her coloring was even despite her slight shiver and he bowed, his face dipping as close to hers as he could bare without finishing it and closing the space.

"What do you have to offer?" She asked, as if she were not the girl who knew everything. He smirked and he could taste her breath on the tip of his tongue. He wanted more he, he wanted to feel her tongue against his, her soft, full lips. Merlin, when had he begun to look at her in such a way?

"Difficulties, a terrible attitude, enough baggage to fill the Hogwarts Express." He paused, staring down into her dreamy eyes he had not failed to notice the way they did not seem to shift and sway in his presence. He could only assume he did not bore her as others did. "Passion, devotion, and a promise that resides deep down inside me that nothing will ever happen to you." He closed his eyes for a moment, taking in another deep breath and tasting her own on his tongue again. "I'm afraid you have the last one, no matter what you say."

He opened his eyes to find her staring up at him with those silvery orbs again, the brightest, truest smile he had seen on her face in more than a week as she gazed up into his eyes. Unflinching.

He was ugly, he was recalcitrant, he was twenty years her senior, her Professor. He was cruel, and bitter, and jaded- so very jaded. He knew these things about himself- he was also very aware that Luna knew these things about him.

That was why when she surged forward and pressed her lips to his he froze in shock. Her mouth was as soft as he had expected and despite the protest of his back he bent further to touch their lips together more firmly. She was sweet, like strawberries and melon, her lips feathery and trembling as he moved his own over them.

He knew, beyond a doubt in that moment that despite her inexperience this was the singular greatest kiss he had ever been granted.

Severus buried his fingers in her hair, just at the nape of her neck and pulled her head back a bit, giving him better access to her mouth as she let out a little sigh of breath. Their kiss was still sweet, soft with the gentle movement of lips and he did not deepen it. Instead he simply enjoyed the way her little breaths felt against his lips. He adored the way she tangled her fingers in his hair, her fingers working across his scalp in much the same way it did when she attempted to comfort him. Only this time it was pre-erotic, a sensation that he could only just barely prevent causing him to grow hard.

Her eyes remained closed when he pulled away, his fingers slipping through her hair as he slid his hands down her back and pulled her firmly against him, her small, curvaceous frame fitting against his own thin body perfectly.

"I assume this means you are willing to put up with my less favorable qualities?" He spoke into the top of her head, her face pressed against him as she tried to regain her breathing. Her small hands had moved down to grasp his frockcoat and he smirked to himself.

"I am not the type to give my first kiss to just anyone, Professor." She sounded teasing and he gave pause. Her first? He had anticipated she had little experience but to have taken her first kiss?

Merlin!

But he had not taken it, had he? No, she had kissed him, it had been given to him, freely, willingly, his.

"I'm a possessive man, little one, perhaps you should take some time to think on this."

"I don't need to think, I've been yours since I understood what it meant to belong to someone." She exhaled and he stroked the hair down the back of her head. He enjoyed its incredible softness as he stroked down its length. Her warmth was a comfort that reached down to his very bones and he took a deep breath of the scent of her.

"Much as I wish to keep you here, you should leave, you have class in the morning." He kissed her forehead, his lips marveling at her soft skin even there.

"Of course, enjoy your haven." She smiled as she took a few steps back and out of his arms. Blonde hair bobbed behind her as she made her way toward the door to his chambers.

"Luna…" He stopped her and she turned to give him another sweet smile.

"Yes sir?" Her melodic voice drifted to him and he took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the will to release her to leave.

"You will always be welcome in my room, any of my rooms." She smiled, the brightest, purest thing he'd ever seen and rushed back to wrap him in her arms one more time. She clutched tightly to his torso and he stroked her hair once more, kissing her on the top of her head.  
"Now, off to bed with you, I will not be the reason you fail your N.E. ." He smirked as he watched her go, skipping away from him.

A/N

 _dulcis luna = Sweet Moon, in latin, according to google translate. Someday when I'm rich I'll learn latin, but until then you'll all just have to settle for GT. As always I hope you enjoyed, this is our last fully relationship chapter as I don't want to start a PWP story with this, the plot returneth soon-eth… ^_^_

 _Love!_


	25. Chapter 24

Luna swirled her wand in the air with her eyes focused on the long strokes that brought an image to life in the air in front of her. She was neither bored, nor was she particularly amused by her current situation. If she was asked she would likely respond that she just _was_. She was existing in the same time and space as ever but her mind was far from the reality that closed in around her.

As with most true seers she not only had prophetic moments that left her drained and forgetting what had happened, but she also had vividly descriptive dreams of the future. Dreams that sometimes made her heart clench with hope and others that made her feel weighed down by stress and pressure.

Currently on air in front of her was a boy, a boy with shaggy black hair and soft blue eyes. He was sharp featured with high cheekbones and an almost pointed chin. He was roundabouts her age but the shocker about him was the shift.

He would change from soft and almost kind looking with pretty blue eyes to ugly and cruel with glowing red eyes.

This was him- the young man her prophecy had told of- she just knew it somewhere deep inside.

"Your talents never cease to amaze me." A silken voice from behind her. His deep timbre flowed over her and soothed her right down to her bones. She tucked her wand behind her left ear- for safe keeping- and left the image drifting in front of them.

"I think this is him, Severus, the boy in my prophecy." She could feel him step closer, his chest against the back of her head and his abdomen against her back. "Someone might see…" She breathed out, tipping her head back so she could look up into his face. He cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Does the idea bother you, little one? Certainly you've not cared in the past for the opinions of others." She could see the lingering of doubt, uncertainty in the depths of his dark eyes. He made to step back but she let her weight rest against him forcing him to stay or drop her to the ground.

"I had rather thought it would bother _you_ sir. I could never be upset to be seen with you." She gave him a soft smile and he braced her by the shoulders, lifting her off of him so she would steady herself on her feet. He came to stand beside her with his eyes locked on her portrait suspended on air.

"You think this is him?" He clenched his teeth and Luna could see his jaw working.

"Yes, is it burning again?" Her melodic voice drifted across to him and she could see him tense. It was obvious to her it was, even if he wouldn't admit it. "May I see?" she held out her hand expectantly and he sighed.

"You will not take no for an answer, I presume." Black hair was shielding his face from her as his head dipped and she tipped herself so she was looking up at him from below. There was a soft smile set on her face and good nature written in her eyes.

"If you would prefer to show me in the dungeons, or perhaps your room I would be happy to come with you." His eyes flashed momentarily and she nodded before taking his hand in hers. She tugged her wand free and dropped the image from the air. Both watched as the colors swirled away and faded before their eyes before she led him to the castle with her fingers twined in his.

The halls were deserted as she led him, rather stoically behind her through the castle. It was lunch on a Saturday, of course he had not expected to come across many students. There was also the tiny detail that it was Luna Lovegood tugging him by his hand- not a stretch of the imagination for anyone he did not think.

She had never been afraid of him. As far as he knew she had never been afraid of anyone who crossed her path in a threatening manner. She had handled even the Carrows in his days as Headmaster with grace, bravery, and poise. She truly was a miraculous woman.

They descended to the dungeons and he came to walk closer to her as they grew closer to the areas of the castle he was most comfortable with. When they stepped through his classroom to his office which held the door to his chambers she turned and gave him an expectant look. Her small fingers still grasped his, holding on as if for dear life.

"Dulcis luna." She gave him the most brilliant of smiles and he really thought his life may be complete with that one smile.

"Would you prefer here or up to the room, Severus?" She asked when they stepped into his small, stifling sitting room. Her voice was a melody that washed over him and drew out all the years of darkness, of sadness, and loneliness. He felt resurrected on her voice alone. He glanced to the door that lead to the room she had created for him with the help of the castle and the doorknocker awoke to stare back.

"The room." This time he pulled her behind him through the heavy wood door and up the winding iron stairs. When they came to the stop and stepped into the warm comfort of the room she had gifted him he could breathe a little easier. He turned his eyes to her to see her staring up at him with soft silvery eyes.

She released his hand much to his displeasure and unfastened the front of her robes. His breath stalled in his chest. Of course he'd seen her out of her robes- many times in fact- but it still felt like such a comfortably intimate action that he couldn't quite wrap his mind around the idea.

She tossed the black school robes onto a chair and tossed the loose tendrils of pale blonde hair behind her shoulders before she tipped her head at him. She was wearing a lovely beige dress beneath that fell mid-thigh and lay off her shoulders- exposing the smooth flesh of her neck, chest, and collarbones beautifully. The sleeves were long and flowy, as was the fabric that flowed around her and it suited her in airy personality while accenting her physical qualities quite nicely.

In a word, she was beautiful.

The burn in his forearm was forgotten for a long moment as he took her in from the root of her flowing blonde hair to the tips of her perfect bare feet. Her shoes sat discarded beside the chair that held her robes- he had not even noticed her taking them off.

"Merlin Luna, how is it possible you are so real, and so lovely?" She tipped her head a little and smiled at him, drifting to stand in front of him and bringing her fingers up to catch the collar of his robes.

"You'll be more comfortable without these." Her voice was the tinkling of bells, the soft breeze across a field of flowers and he was lost in her soothing presence. He allowed her with much less hesitation than one would expect to pull the robes from his shoulders and slide them down until they left him completely. She lay them beside her own, another intimate act with which he was unfamiliar- another that stirred him.

He watched the fine bones and delicate muscles of her shoulders as she reached up to pull his cravat free. He stood stalk still when her fingers grazed beneath his chin and her eyes flashed up to meet his.

"Trust me…" She exhaled and he relaxed however minutely as she pulled the silken fabric free and smiled to herself at the feel of it sliding through her fingers. "I have a soft spot for silk ties, I'm afraid sir." She twitched and eyebrow and smiled playfully. He could not help the twitch of interest from his cock.

Merlin that had sounded wonderfully naughty. He could think of many ways he could entertain her with silk ties. He shook his head, shaking away the burn of those thoughts as she began to undo the buttons of his frockcoat. He stopped her with one hand catching both of her smaller ones and stared down at her. Deep into her eyes.

"Luna, surely this isn't appropriate." He managed but his voice was a husky rasp and he could not get command of his breathing. She freed one of her hands and smoothed it down the front of his frockcoat.

"I've always wondered how many there are, may I count them?" She gave him that dreamy eyed look and he felt his resolve breaking, slowly he freed her other hand and she reached up to refasten the two buttons she had managed to release already. "Best to start at the beginning, I always thought."

"One…" She pushed the button free her eyes fixated on her task. He could not help but watch as she worked the next two free, mouthing the numbers two and three.

"Four…" She continued in much the same way until she reached the very last button- the frockcoat hung open on his skinny frame. It was prepared to release him and free even more of him to this witch's eyes.

"Ten…" The last button freed she took one of his hands and averted her eyes to undo the three buttons up his sleeve.

"You believe those apply?" He felt the smirk fight its way onto his face as she focused on the last button of his other sleeve. She glanced up at him from her concentrated pose and tipped her head allowing blonde hair to fall into her face. He pushed it away and his fingers skimmed the warm skin of her shoulder she shivered and closed her eyes for the briefest of seconds.

"I believe you are far too buttoned up, and that they all apply. Sixteen fastened buttons on your frockcoat alone, Severus." She shook her head and those starlight locks bounced around her face. "I think you could set a record if we counted the ones beneath this." She pushed it from his shoulders and caught it deftly, laying it delicately over his robes. Reverently.

He could not help but to appreciate her care- those clothes were as much a part of him as his hands and feet. It was relieving to see she cared enough to take such care with his attire.

"Such a gentle soul, sweet Luna." He brought a hand up to stroke her cheek. His thumb drew along her cheekbone and she closed her eyes as a breathy sigh dropped from her lips. They stood like that for some time. One across from the other both dressed down to comfort with his hand on her cheek and her eyes closed as she reveled in his touch.

The moment was unfortunately broken when he withdrew with a hiss and grasped his forearm. The burn was back and more powerful than he could recall in moments passed and he glanced up to see her worried eyes on him.

"I'm sorry, I let myself be sidetracked." He was kneeling on the floor now- unable to stand as the pain radiated down through his body- seeming to assault his very bones. "Let me see, Severus." She coaxed his fingers away and he realized she was on her knees in front of him. Her feet were pushed into the carpet behind her as she gently guided his arm toward her. She undid the buttons that held his white shirt sleeve closed, crisp and perfect and pushed it up past his dark mark. The skin spasmed and writhed beneath the black scar that marred his once smooth alabaster arm.

She muttered words, Latin he was certain, that he was unfamiliar with and a soft white glow seemed to emanate from her. It was almost unnoticeable and would have been had he not been staring at her, taking her in from the moment he'd laid eyes on her that day.

He wanted to wrench himself away from her when her palm fell flat against the writhing skin but the coolness that immediately seeped straight into him from her hand was enough to allow him a deep breath. He sank the rest of the way onto the floor and nearly sobbed for the relief in his burning arm.

"How?" He managed on a gasp as he stretched his cramping legs out on either side of her. The remained there in the floor, him unable to move and she shifted closer.

"I've been doing a bit of my own research on the marks masters leave on their servants, Hermione has been more than happy to help. This one is complex black magic, but even complex black magic has a counter." She spoke quietly and her melodic voice went a step further to soothe him.

"Come here." He managed to grab her around the shoulders with his free arm and tug her to him. She caught herself with her own free hand, her palm flat on his thigh as she stared into his face with wide silvery eyes.

He could not help himself, whether it was the relief at the loss of pain or something deeper he was not sure. His lips sought hers with a desperation he had never felt before. Her warm body pressed against his was like heaven and he pressed his tongue against the seam of her marvelous lips opening her mouth to him. She sighed, and hooked her arms around his neck while shimmying closer. The burn in his arm did not return, instead it remained blissfully cool as he moved his insistent, demanding mouth against hers.

Her nails played across his scalp as her tongue stroked his poking delicately into his mouth before allowing his own to chase it back into hers. Her taste sweet and earthy was searing its way onto his memory to forever burn as desire inside his mind.

When they broke apart gasping for breath she took a few moments to sit with her eyes closed leaning against his chest and he stroked her hair. Her fingers parted through his own black locks and he sighed to himself as their moment changed from heated and passionate to calm and soothing.


	26. Chapter 25

"Have you and Blaise heard anything from Draco? Is he feeling better since we relayed the spells to soothe the mark?" Hermione asked. She was sat directly across from Neville who was sitting beside Luna, Ginny was seated beside Hermione, her head on her shoulder. It had been two weeks since their discovery of the spell to soothe the Dark Mark for Severus and Draco.

She mused briefly on the way time flies before coming back to their conversation. Apparently, she'd mused longer than she'd thought as they were on an all new topic. _Oh well._ She smiled and listened as they spoke on the prophecy she had given, and about the boy she had given them all a painted rendering of so that perhaps they could find him.

Severus had been out of the castle in all of his free time, also searching for the boy and this saddened her. Still though she understood his need to put all of Tom Riddle's nonsense to rest and it was only that that kept her from being distraught about his ever-waning presence.

When he did see her, he didn't touch her and hardly looked at her. They had shared such a wonderful, intensely passionate kiss and he had shut her down. She understood his fear of closeness. Unfortunately, she was unbearably attracted to the blasted man.

"Luna, love, are you okay?" It was Neville that broke her from her thought process this time and she sighed staring down into the table as his compassionate gaze bore into the side of her head.

"I actually feel quite like this toy my father brought home once, a muggle toy that was attached to a string. You dropped it from the string and based on what is either sheer luck or skill it rolls back up and comes back to you, only to be tossed away again."

"Are you talking about a yoyo Luna?" Hermione had both eyebrows in her hairline and Luna looked up at her.

"Does it sound like the same thing, whatever it was, that is what I'm feeling like. He pulls me to him only to toss me back, and then repeat the process. It's quite disconcerting and while I am more than capable of handling his mood swings I'm feeling evermore stressed." All three of them stared at her with wide eyes and she blinked a few times. "What have I done now?"

"Mood swings, you consider them mood swings?" Ginny's head had pulled itself from Hermione's shoulder and she was staring at her with wide eyes.

"I can't think of anything else to call it…" She trailed thoughtfully and Ginny shook her head.

"His mood would have to change to call it a swing." The redhead huffed, her girlfriend laughed and Neville shook his head.

"She has a point."

"No. There's a lot more to him than meets the eye. I know you can't see inside him but he changes inside all the time, ever shifting from one shore to the other and always wishing to be acknowledged for what he is."

"I don't think I've ever heard you speak so passionately about something." Neville's words pulled a brilliant smile to Luna's face and she glanced to each of her friends.

"I love him, there's nothing that compel someone to passion more adamantly. Oh, look, a fairy." She stood, and was wandering away, leaving her three friends wide eyed and staring after her.

"Sometimes she speaks and I forget she can be so spacey." Hermione huffed.

"And then she says something else and I wonder if it's spacey or if it's something much deeper. I think she may have been dropped." Ginny laughed conspiratorially. Neville shook his head and shrugged.

"You two are terrible. She loves him and that's great, none of us can say we expected to fall for those we are in love with either."

"You're right Neville." Hermione hummed, Ginny blushed and lay her head back on her girlfriend's shoulder.

Luna walked alone, of course she had not actually seen a fairy. That would have been a silly thing to see in the middle of Hogsmeade. She felt a fierce protectiveness over Severus Snape, the same she felt for her father and the significance of that fact was not lost on her. Students were not meant to be wandering about alone outside of Hogwarts grounds and she almost felt bad for taking to wandering as she was but she needed a breath to clear her mind.

Death Eaters were reassembling- those who were still alive- as well as adding to their faction. They had known it was coming for some time, especially after her prophecy and the marks beginning to burn again. Still it was a startling revelation for those in their little corner of the wizarding world that Tom Riddle may not have been defeated after all.

Shacklebolt, who had been doing a fine job as the minister did not believe them, no matter how many times they told him that something was happening. He only believed that the Death Eaters were gathering together to attempt to stay out of Azkaban.

Even Harry had attempted to convince the man but, as with his predecessors he would not believe them until they had solid proof.

An arm caught her around her waist and startled her from her distracted musings. Looking around herself, she realized she had managed to make her way down the path and was on her way to the school when she had been caught. She did not scream or allow herself to be frightened instead she took a deep breath and relaxed her body.

"Were I a true Death Eater, Ms. Lovegood, you would be in quite a lot of trouble right now." His familiar voice warmed her from the inside out as he grasped her around her waist more tightly. His body was stooped a bit to curl around her and he had her in a firm grip with his fingers tight on her right hip. She exhaled a breath she had not realized she was holding and lay her head back against his shoulder. Allowing her eyes to close.

"Severus…" Circe she sounded needy, a tone she had never so much as heard from her own mouth and it surprised her what this man could do to her.

"Luna, why are you out wandering on your own, little one?" His breath caressed her ear and she fought to focus on her breathing. "Was it not made perfectly clear to you that all students are considered under eminent threat until we resolve this Death Eater business?" She pulled her head up and made to turn in his arms but he held her fast.

She wanted to look at him but she would let him have his control. He was not one to relinquish it often, after all, "I needed to be alone. I feel fuzzy all of the time lately, like I'm walking around in a haze." She exhaled, giving him an honest answer. Always an honest answer. She did not believe in lying, or even altering the truth to save one's pride. That just was not the way it worked in her mind.

"A haze hmm? And why my sweet little one have you found yourself feeling as if you are in a haze? Have you been sleeping well- drinking your _Gillywater_?" She could hear the tease in his voice and a little smile curled her lips. It seemed like a lifetime ago she had been trying to make him take his health seriously.

 _How time flies._ She mused.

"Because you've been gone." She caught his sharp intake of air and the way he froze, the way his fingers on her hip clenched and released. "You've been avoiding me, sir, I find I'm not a fan of such treatment from you. It hurts my feelings." She gave him the most honest answer she could must and this time he helped her to spin. Bringing her eyes to meet his deep, dark orbs was easy. It was like she needed the to survive- she needed him.

"It is not my intention to hurt you." He was staring down at her, his neck craned down and his hair hanging like a blue-black curtain around his face. She pulled her lips into her mouth and released them before she brought a hand up to stroke his jaw. There was a slight stubble there, deep black and prickly beneath her fingers and it made her smile.

"Intention or not you have." She watched him swallow. His eyes searched hers and she gave a little nod of acknowledgement.

"You're forgiven, Severus. You aren't protecting me by avoiding me, you must know that." She gave him her dreamiest smile and brought her hands up to grasp his shoulders. Running her fingers up into his hair and caressing his scalp she marveled at the way his eyes fell closed and his breathing went rapid.

"Yes, you have informed me time and again that you do not require my rescue efforts. I will not however cease them." He opened his eyes to catch her in that dark gaze and she nodded, smiling at him.

"I don't expect you to stop trying to protect me. I don't think you'd know what to do with yourself if you weren't trying." A cheeky smile this time. "But, in future perhaps you could let me do a little for you as well. Oh, and if I'm denied your kisses again I may go mad." She gave him a pensive look, "And then I really would be loony Lovegood."

"Don't call yourself that. It's an insult to the person you truly are inside." He wrapped his arms around her lower back and dipped to kiss her. She welcomed his insistent, prying lips with a pleasure that made her moan softly into his mouth. A moan that apparently made his need grow as he pressed his body more firmly into hers as he kissed her.

His teeth drew back to nip her lip and she moaned softly again, her eyes flicking open as he pulled away to stare up at him.

"Merlin, I want you so badly, you have no idea how difficult it was to deny myself your luscious little mouth." He drew his thumb along her lower lip and she cooed, her eyelids drooping, becoming heavy lidded.

"You can have me, I'm yours." She gave a wild giggle when he tugged her by her hips into his body and began kissing her with wild abandon again. Her fingers fisted in her hair and little moans torn from her throat.

Yes, she definitely felt like a 'yoyo' and she thought she may be quite alright with that.


	27. Chapter 26

"It would appear they are reassembling the Death Eaters." Luna's ears perked at the topic of conversation. Her eyes lighting on the three figures sitting across from her on the ground. Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, and Draco Malfoy had decided to pay Hermione a visit this meant she and Ginny had been invited along, as well as Neville.

"We'd thought as much when the dark mark had begun to burn, how is that spell working for you and Draco?" Hermione spoke next. Her eyes shifted from Harry to Draco and the blonde gave a tight smile.

"It works much better than we could have ever hoped. Draco is uncomfortable with the topic." Harry answered, twining his fingers with the blonde's and Luna gave a soft nod.

"Severus is not much interested in speaking of his mark either. It seems they would like to leave the past in the past. Certainly, we should respect that desire." Draco gave her a long, even look. Everyone else appeared to be gaping at her for calling their Professor by his given name. "Have I done something again?" Her dreamy voice questioned as she stared down at herself before adjusting her wand behind her ear. Everything seemed to be right.

"Nothing at all Luna, you just caught us off guard using his name." Ginny laughed half-heartedly and Luna tilted her head at her friend.

"You must all realize by now I do not call him 'sir' or 'Professor' on all occasions?" She knew there was confusion painted across her face as she stared them all down before shrugging and shaking her head. Her dreamy smile coming back right where it belonged.

The conversation shifted after this and left Luna to her own thoughts as they talked about the return of the Death Eaters and the dangers that would be arising once more. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in an attempt to steady herself before opening her eyes and looking around the group. She needed to go and see Severus, to talk to him about the possibility of more Death Eaters being recruited and what it all may mean. Their world had only been peaceful for a brief time and it disturbed her that their fragile peace was being threatened again so soon.

She stood and drifted away without a word to the others- not that they questioned her- they were accustomed to her habits and tendencies. He was easy to find once she was in the castle. He consistently occupied the room she and Hogwarts had provided him and she smiled when she entered to find him entirely submerged in a book. She moved around behind him silently after slipping her shoes from her feet at the door. Her bare feet made her that much more silent and she moved around behind him to stroke her finger through his every lengthening raven locks.

She adored the way they fell through her fingers like water as she worked her nails across his scalp until his head tipped back to look at her. There was the faintest sign of surprise on his face and she gave him a smile her eyes roaming his face.

"I had thought you would be with your friends until at least this evening." His comment gave no hint that he wanted her to leave and so she shook her head and her smile deepened.

"It is the evening." He glanced around finding the windows, and making a strange face at the sight of stars in the sky.

"So I see, and what has brought you to my room this evening, my sweet?" She drew her nails back from the beginning of his widow's peak to the base of his neck with a thoughtful look.

"I missed you." He blinked, as if it were a fact he could not wrap his head around but lifted his head entirely from looking up at him and nodded.

"Come then, I must say I've missed your company as well." He opened his arms for her, settling his book on the cushion beside him and effectively barring her from sitting anywhere but atop his lap. She gave him a shy grin when she came around to his front and settled into his lap. Her arms instinctively hooked around his neck and he held her hips with gentle hands.

"I'm very glad that I am not the only one." She stroked her fingers in a circular motion on the back of his neck and gave a soft sigh when his eyes closed. "Have you heard that the Death Eaters are being reassembled?" He tensed and she remembered why she had not wanted to bring it up. Still though this was a conversation they needed to have. Even if neither of them liked it.

"I would have to say that I was aware it would be happening soon. I'm sure you learned this from P- Harry and Weasley, yes?" She nodded, her fingers still playing at the base of his skull and his eyes closed. "I hadn't wanted to discuss this with you. I am determined to make your involvement as minimal as possible, little one." He reached forward to kiss the side of her head and she sighed.

"Eventually you'll believe I don't require any more protecting than anyone else."

"I have already come to believe this. The problem has become that you mean more than those others to me, I will not have you hurt if I can prevent it." She tilted so she could nuzzle her face into the crook of his neck and lay little kisses there. Black hair tickled the sides of her face and made her smile into his warm flesh.

She nipped the skin there and he shuddered under her. A low groan pulled from his chest and released to the room. No conceivable way it could be stifled.

Her melodic laugh filled the room when he shifted. Moving so he lay over her in the floor he assaulted her mouth with his own. Deep longing-filled kisses that made her entire body shake and tremble beneath him as his fingers roamed her sides and hips. He smirked when he pulled back, eyes like obsidian against silver as they locked.

"So tasty, my sweet little one." He groaned as his mouth moved down further, lips caressing her jaw before coming down to her neck. He nipped and bit at the soft flesh and she couldn't help herself, she bowed her back and pressed as much of her body against his as she could reach. She needed friction, she needed sensation, she needed him.

"Uh-uh, not yet." He pressed her back down into the floor. His fingers worked her jumper up over her head and he smirked at the bra he found beneath. "You are the most interesting woman I have ever met." He chuckled, shaking his head as he stared down at the two cups made to look like a pair of eyes. She giggled herself, looking up at him with a gaze still intense enough to sear his blood.

"I hadn't realized anyone would be looking today." She grinned when he helped her sit up to unclasp the material and lay her back against the floor. She stared up at him with an almost hesitant look on her face as he took in the beauty that was her glorious breasts.

"My gods but if I were to be given the ability to gaze upon your body every day." He moved his mouth down and licked at the valley between her breasts. She shivered and moaned at the sensation and arched her back to give him more access to her chest.

"Ah, Severus please…" She cooed her fingers burying themselves in his hair and it was all the permission he needed. His lips hooked around a pale pink nipple and he pulled the pebble into his mouth. His fingers moved lower splaying first across her stomach before edging lower to the waist of her muggle jeans.

He released her right nipple with a faint 'pop' and smirked when she looked up at him from her position lying beneath him. His lips kissed across the valley of her breasts to the swell of the left until he captured her left nipple and gave it the same sweet attention. A slender finger, followed by another pressed beneath the waist of her jeans and moved below the waist of her knickers.

They trailed the soft hair of her mons and he pulled back to give her a long look. She smiled up at him, giving him an almost cheeky grin.

"I've always been fond of personal care." Licking his lips he looked back down to the place where his hand disappeared into her jeans and looked back up at her again.

"You've never done this, have you, my sweet little one?" His voice was husky and his eyelids heavy as he stared down at her. She shook her head softly, blond hair that was not trapped beneath her moving around her face.

"No, but I want you to. I've waited for you for so long." She assured, her fingers slipping from his hair to hold him on either side of his face. Her hands were small against his cheeks and he nuzzled the right gently. Her soft skin a pleasing sensation against his face.

"I only want to taste you- there will be time for more later." She nodded watching as he found the button and zip of her jeans and undid them quickly. Pulling them down her hips was an easy task and soon her jeans and knickers were discarded by her shoes.

He lay open mouthed kisses against the flat of her lower stomach and smirked to himself when she gasped. His lips traveling lower and lower until he found the well maintained blonde curls of her womanhood. He drew his tongue along that sweet seam first, gathering the first bits of moisture from her sweet core and savoring them.

"Mm, ambrosia." He smirked at the wide-eyed look he found on her face upon looking up before parting her nether lips with his slender fingers and diving in with a desperate tongue. He lapped at her with long, slow strokes. His shoulders parting her thighs further for him as her hips found a rhythm against his lips and he groaned into her supple pink flesh. Intentionally he dodged the pearl at the top of her womanhood, instead diving in with his tongue and prodding at her as if he were fucking her with his tongue.

She moaned, crying out and begging him for more with not only the babblings from her mouth but the roll of her hips against him. She whimpered when his tongue finally found her taut clit and flicked the sensitive bead. A shuddering cry crawled from her lips and her eyes pinched closed as he wrapped his still clothed body around her and held her to him. His arms held her fast as she experienced the first orgasm she had ever received and her eyes blinked open lazily when the aftershocks eventually stilled.

"Thank you…" Came her breathless voice and he smirked, his lips pecking her forehead as he wrapped her more tightly in his arms.

"I assure you, my sweet," and suddenly those words had taken on a whole new meaning, a meaning that made her skin feel hot, "it was my pleasure."


	28. Chapter 27

Severus stared at himself in the mirror. There was a certain pleased flush to his skin that he had not seen in years reflected at him and he glanced up at the image his sweet Luna had given to him what felt to be so long ago.

In reality, it had only been little more than a month. Somehow in that month she had shown him exactly how she saw him and it was far more beautiful than any picture he had ever seen. She was kind and sweet and gentle. Everything he was not lived in her and called out to nurture his broken soul. He had tried to refuse, attempted not to give in to the temptation of being cared for. It was not working.

Now with little more than two weeks until All-Hallows he was feeling much less stressed than he typically found himself with the dreaded date approaching. She was just there a room away from him, her nose buried in an upside-down _Quibbler_ and her fingers clenched on its pages. She was magnificent, a brilliant example of what people could be if only they did not care what others thought and allowed themselves to believe.

He worried for her still. Being involved with him was a massive risk, not only for her education but for her safety overall. Conversations that neither of them had wanted to have but that had been necessary. Their involvement- while not condemned by the board of governors who oversaw Hogwarts activities was also not condoned. They walked a thin line between what would be considered appropriate and what would be considered inappropriate.

Stepping out dressed in only a pair of black trousers he made his way into the room she occupied and cocked an eyebrow when her eyes flitted up from her latest edition of _The Quibbler_. Pools of silver liquid rolled across his chest and he was near tempted to cover himself. This was the most exposed he had allowed himself to be in her presence and he had little experience showing himself to even those closest to him. The speed with which she discarded her magazine surprised him as she stood and crossed the room to him in bounding steps.

"You're ready for me to see?" She asked with her head tipped back to look up into his eyes. He gave a faint nod and she could not have hidden her grin from him if she had wanted to. "May I touch you?" She seemed to be holding her fingers back and he nodded again.

Watching as she reached a small hand toward him was an exhilarating experience. It was nothing however, compared to the way her fingers caressed first his shoulder in a slow, soft slide. He could feel the almost imperceptible calluses from her time working on her art as the digits slid softly across one of his largest scars. It was an impressive laceration that stretched from his right shoulder all the way across his chest to the underside of his left pec and she traced it freely and willingly.

That was only the beginning however. She found the smaller scars- even the most minute- and took care to caress each of them individually.

She pulled back to look up at him again, her silvery eyes soft as they stared up into his.

"May I try something else?" She employed that soothing tone of voice and he knew what she was doing. She was trying to relax him into allowing her to act and against all odds it seemed to be working. He could literally feel the tension unravel from his muscles as he stood before her with his arms at his sides.

Closing his eyes, he gave another short nod. He could not trust his voice not to break and he would not show her weakness. Not her, never her.

Warm breath against his cool skin made him tense and he realized what she was doing. The soft sensation of her full lips against his skin made him gasp out an almost silent breath and his head fell back. He could feel the sway of his long hair against his upper back and shoulders as he left his head hanging back, face to the sky as her lips worked across every scar. Even the tiniest of marks received her gentle kisses until she was working her way down his arm to his dark mark. There she spent the longest time. She kissed and soothed away even his own hatred for the black marring his arm.

"Thank you." He drew her to him with both arms, wrapping her against his chest and dipping his lips to kiss her atop her head. Her hair smelled of freesia and he blinked to pull back and give her a long look. "You smell different today." He noted and she gave a melodic laugh against his chest before tipping her head back to look into his eyes.

"Freesia, it is my favorite but the bottles are often poured down the drain and I am only able to buy it from a specific shop in Diagon Alley. I bought a bottle for my birthday and have been hiding it away." She gave him that sweet dreamy smile and he nodded.

"I could, if you prefer it, I'm certain I could begin making it for you. Hair and body cleansing potions are fairly simple and the scent is easily accessible." He was not sure what drove him to offer but the warm look in her wide silvery eyes made it absolutely worth it.

"For me?" She was giving him this wide eyed disbelieving look now and he nodded slowly. Longing to capture her lips with his began to burn up from his stomach just before she began to nod rapidly. "I would love that! It will be even better because you made it." She leapt up and wrapped her arms around his neck. He made a soft 'oomph' sound before her lips were latched securely over his and she was kissing him with all of the passion her little body contained.

He grasped her around her lower back and held her up, shifting so that he could back into one of his favorite chairs and settled her across his lap. Their lips never parted and he deepened the kiss. His tongue slipped between her lips and sought hers with intensity. He never seemed to feel his exploration of her was quite complete as he devoured her lips with his own and moved his fingers up to hook into the hair at the back of her head.

She moaned into the kiss and he pulled away. She pecked his lips delicately and smiled up at him once more.

He opened his mouth to speak just as her eyes rolled back in her head and her body slumped against his. She was limp and her eyelids were flickering wildly as he held her to him. Her body convulsed and he gulped a swallow. Knowing what was happening to her did not make it any simpler and as she writhed against him with a faint sweat growing across her brow he stood and carried her as steadily as possible to his room. As soon as she was in his bed he summoned a wet cloth and bowl of cool water to lay across her forehead and eyes. He knew after speaking with Poppy and Sybill there was little he could do for her. She was having a vision- or more likely fighting a prophecy- and until she woke he would be unable to assess her health.

She writhed in his bed for four hours before her eyes snapped open wide and silvery. He was so relieved to see them that he felt himself go off-kilter for a moment and sat on the edge of the bed to rub the cloth along her forehead again before depositing it into the bowl of room temperature water. She stared at him seemingly unseeing for a long moment before she opened her mouth and the loudest scream he'd ever heard come from a person poured from her lips.

Her eyes closed and she went still. Her limp body lay in the bed, breathing shallow and he replaced the cloth on her forehead with shaking hands.

"Luna my sweet, what is happening?" He questioned. His voice was barely audible in the room but that did not matter, she was not conscious to hear him either way.

Her eyes opened some hours later and flicked around the room to find her safe in Severus' bed. Pulling herself to a sitting position she found him asleep on her left with one of his arms flung over her waist. She took in her surroundings with sharp clarity before glancing back over at the man beside her.

Swallowing and finding her mouth incredibly dry she tried to wet her lips and grimaced. Severus stirred beside her but did not wake and she slipped back down into the bed. Choosing to Accio a cup of water instead of waking him by climbing from the bed. She drank carefully and settled the glass on the bedside table before pressing her back into the wizard's chest and closing her eyes.

Surrounded by his warmth it was easy to go back to sleep, no matter what her abilities had shown her.

The sun was up when next they woke and Severus gave her a questioning look.

"I saw him, he attends Beauxbatons." She answered his unspoken question and he pursed his lips together.

"That was not my primary concern, though I am glad we have more information." He tugged her to him more tightly and pulled the covers up over both of their heads. Submerged in pure darkness she clutched to him more tightly and he shushed her. "I'd forgotten your fear, Luna, forgive me." He pulled the sheet down to let in just enough light and she nodded, her face pressed to his chest. "You frightened me, more than I can ever recall being so."

"I'm sorry Severus, I tried not to fight it. It was so intense…" He nodded, pressing his lips to the top of her head and inhaling deeply the soft scent of her.

"We must inform the Order." She wrinkled her nose at his words and he chuckled lightly. "Yes, I hardly enjoy their company myself, my sweet."

"Can we stay here just a little bit longer?" She gave him a wide-eyed look and he shook his head lightly.

"I suppose, just a little bit."


	29. Chapter 28

∞ Twenty-Eight ∞

"We will need to contact Madame Maxime." Molly Weasley was bustling around the small conference room inside the castle that the order occupied. Minerva was, if not disbelieving, hard pressed to think that the boy they were looking for had been right beneath their noses in Beauxbatons the entire time they had been searching for him. "She may not be pleased to hear we accuse one of her students." Minerva added, almost as an afterthought. There was a bit of a grimace on her face- Luna was almost certain it was because she knew how she would react in the same situation.

"We've alerted Potter and Weasley; the unfortunate loss of Madame Lupin during the final battle has left us with very few connections in the Auror office." Luna frowned at the mention, Remus had survived to care for his son but his wife, Dora, had passed away during the final battle. It had only served to fuel Remus' hatred of the werewolf Greyback as he'd been the one to cast the killing curse. He had ended the life of not only a wife, but a mother as well- a particularly despicable act in Luna's opinion.

Luna cast a glance to the werewolf sat across from herself and Severus at the table. Her eyes found his; _She lives on in your son, and in your heart._ She knew her message was received when his eyes closed and he gave a soft nod. She turned to see Severus staring down at her with a questioning look in his deep, fathomless eyes.

"Harry says he and Ron will investigate as discretely as possible but as new Aurors they are still heavily monitored." Draco spoke up.

"To think, the golden boy heavily monitored, what _are_ they thinking." Severus bit out irritably. He still had a sort of grudge for the boy who lived- she supposed he would never be able to fully move on from it. She slipped her right hand onto his knees and fought her smile when his fingers wrapped around hers and squeezed gently.

She never would have thought he would accept her comfort. It was a feeling beyond relief when the brooding man accepted her little acts of comfort. She smiled softly to herself as she stared down at the wood of the table.

"And we're really going to go based on the word of a proclaimed 'seer'? We've seen what happens when Trelawney spouts her rubbish, we only become deeper in trouble." She caught the dark sneer Severus cast in the direction of the only Auror in attendance. A man who had not been heavily involved in the second wizarding war, Jamison Bucklebea.

"You'd do well to hold your tongue, Bucklebea, it seems you forget that I have been present for her only spoken prophecy and I have seen the results of her visions." She held his hand tighter and his eyes flicked to her for a moment. Luna could feel the frown that pulled on her lips but kept her back straight. She was accustomed to disbelief, to being taunted and teased. She could handle this Auror as well as she could handle anyone else.

Later when they had found their way to his personal sitting room Luna gave him a soft look and threaded her fingers gently through his hair.

"Not everyone is going to believe me, Severus." He lay his head against her chest, his eyes closed as her fingers played gently through his hair.

"They will not be welcome to express themselves in such a manner in my presence. You cannot expect me to allow you to be compared to that mad woman." He exhaled into her top and she nodded. Her chin rested on the top of his head as she stroked her fingers through his free hair. She sat in his lap comfortably and took deep soothing breaths.

She could feel his breathing level to match the pace of her own and smiled gently to herself.

"My wonderful protector, there even when I need no protecting." She smiled as she grasped his face to push it back and look into his eyes. Her lips met his gently, her eyes closing at the sensation of him deepening the kiss. His tongue flicked in and out of her mouth teasing her and drawing a whimpered moan from the depths of her chest.

"I disapprove of the past treatment of you and would see it improved." He pulled away to speak and then pecked her lips. Luna could not help but sigh to herself and nod.

"I'll never stop you, only remind you that I am perfectly capable of caring for myself." He hooked his palm on the side of her face and pushed long spindly fingers through her hair. She sighed at the sensation.

"Why should you have to when I am here to provide that care? I will give in to rely on you if you will grant me the same curtesy." Silvery eyes flicked open and she tipped her head at him, her face nuzzling against his palm.

"You have a deal, Severus." She leaned forward to kiss his lips once more and groaned when he buried his fingers in the hair on the back of her head and deepened the kiss. She always marveled at the many ways in which he kissed her. Sometimes they were soft and subtle, so gentle she was left wishing he had been more aggressive. Other times however they were harsh and bruising, desperation edging their depth and heavy force that made her knees shake long after he was finished with her.

They never progressed from a bit of heavy petting and deep, longing snogging but it was enough for her for the moment. She was well aware he would open the topic when he was ready for more and until then she was content to have what he would give her. Luna would take what she could get from the object of her affection and no one would ever hear her complain about the passion he gave her even when they were not rolling between the sheets.

He pulled away breathing deeply and stared long and hard into her silvery eyes. She met his gaze with an intensity she could only hope matched his own and he gave her one of those sweet, faint smiles.

"I have been invited to an All Hallows ball at Malfoy Manor. I know that you have poor memories of the Manor and those there but- I would like…" He trailed on a breath. She was almost certain she could hear the nausea simply asking her had invoked.

"I would love to go with you Severus. Will I be forced to dress up?" She tipped her head and he smirked.

"I had rather thought it would be wise not to be the only two there out of costume."

"I," she hesitated, her eyes flitted away from his gaze, "I'm not much for dancing though." She heard his chuckle as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him just that much more tightly.

"I assure you, my sweet one, I will be more than happy to allow you to stand on my feet should we not be able to impart at least a basic knowledge of dancing in you before the ball." He smirked. She wondered at the way he looked almost pleased at the idea of dancing her about stood on his feet.

"I will endeavor to come as someone shoeless then, so that I do not hurt your toes. I assure you I'm quite hopeless where dancing is concerned." The dreamy smile was back on her face and her tone had dropped to a soft melody. He leant forward and kissed her lips gently, his fingers curled around her hip and held her tightly. Sometimes she wondered if he thought she would attempt escape with as tightly as he held on to her.

She felt a strange desire to assure him she was going nowhere.

"The Malfoy's will not be uncomfortable with my presence, will they? I understand they changed sides at the end and that the Ministry pardoned them is enough to tell me they were most likely under duress." He gave her a long stare and she tipped her head gently to the side. Long fingers brushed the hair from her shoulder before he caressed her cheek with the back of his knuckles. She savored his lightly callused fingers.

"How you can understand so much while being told so little I will never understand. You truly are an amazing soul, Luna Lovegood." She smiled at him before turning her face to kiss his knuckles and she felt his shudder beneath her lips.

"I am simply open to the good in those around me, everyone has a little good in them- excepting perhaps Tom Riddle. I hope the good in his son will be able to counteract the overwhelming bad that has filled him with the Dark Wizard's soul inside him." Severus kissed her forehead and she closed her eyes.

"So positive my sweet little one, my angel."

She could feel the twinkle that sparked in her eyes. "I'm hardly an angel, Severus."

"You're hardly a devil either."

"These are very muggle concepts. I'm surprised you're using them as comparisons for a witch." She teased, her lips curled in a little half smile and he pinched at her sides.

"You are a wicked little girl as well, perhaps I should shut that luscious little mouth for you." A wicked smirk played across his face and her stomach fluttered inside her.

"If you think you can." Her taunt did not go unheard, nor was it un-responded to.

His lips pressed to hers, harsh at first before falling into their usual intense kissing before he slipped his fingers just beneath the edge of her long- flowing white skirt. She shifted, wiggling as his slender fingers played across her mons and her eyes pinched closed. Savoring his kisses and the feeling of his lightly callused fingers as they parted her soft woman's lips and stroked along the length of her warmth.

She pulled away to bury her face in his neck as his fingers worked slowly across her clit. His thumb stroked delicately along the sensitive bundle of nerves as slender digits pushed lower. A single finger slipped into her, just enough to make her walls clench around him and she moaned into his neck.

He shifted her so he had better access, parting her thighs just that much more so he could press his finger into her tightness up to the second knuckle.

"Merlin you're so tight my sweet." He hissed into her ear as she buried her face deeper into his neck. Her teeth gently bit at the skin there holding back her desperate moans as her hips wiggled against him. "So tight, so innocent, mine you are entirely mine aren't you my darling?" He growled into her ear. Luna was not unaware of the possessive tinge to the edge of his voice and her eyes pinched closed as her teeth bit that much harder into the smooth skin of his neck. She sucked delicately and he bucked against her desperately.

"It won't be long now, I need you. I have held back, I want you to be ready, to experience everything slowly as you should but Merlin, my need to be buried in you grows. My want, my desire for you intensifies with every kiss. My sweet witch you know not what you do to me." He used his free hand to pull her face back by her hair and pressed his lips to hers with a harsh intensity that made her whimper into his mouth. His thumb caressed her sensitive clit as his finger wiggled about delicately and she rocked her hips, seeking more. "No, no, my sweet, not yet." He kissed her again and withdrew that single finger, his thumb flicked across her clit with just that much more pressure and she cried out into his mouth.

This orgasm was less intense than her first, a sharp pleasure that made her eyes pinch closed for a long moment before she settled against his chest in blissful comfort. Sleep threatened to consume her.

"Will you be missed this evening?" He had buried his face in her neck as he pulled his hand from her nether region and she shook her head, her breathing still leveling and her mind still racing. She wanted to repay him but she was not certain how. "Good, you will sleep here with me."

It surprised her when he stood with her in his arms but she only wrapped her arms around his neck and held on. He descended the stairs to his chambers with ease and soon she was snuggled into his bed, fighting sleep as his warmth wrapped around her.

Merlin, she loved the man more than could possibly be healthy.


	30. Chapter 29

∞ Twenty-Nine ∞

Severus woke to the sensation of fingers running through his hair and took a deep breath. Dark eyes flicked open to find silvery orbs staring back at him. He gave the witch a tired smile and brushed blonde hair back from her face as she leaned over him and gave him a delicate kiss. He could not help but hook his fingers in the hair at the back of her head and pull her in a for a much deeper kiss.

His tongue explored her, taking in all of her sweet flavors for a long lingering moment before releasing the back of her head. He smirked at the dreamy look on her face and pecked her lips before sitting up from his bed and rolling his neck. It cracked and popped and she gave him a lingering look.

"That cannot be good for you." She raised both eyebrows with a faint smile on her lips and he shrugged.

"Too late to worry about it now." He caught a few strands of blonde hair between his fingers and played with them for a moment. "Your hair is so lovely, my sweet."

Luna sat back to observe him and gave a gentle smile. She caught his fingers in her little hand and brought them to her lips. Kissing them gently, her soft breaths leaving a caress behind her lips that made his stomach tighten.

"You plan to go when they leave to interview young Riddle, don't you?" Her voice was quiet in the early morning silence of his room and he looked away from her. His eyes averted away from her silvery gaze. Somehow, she managed to make him feel like she had the most absolute faith in him while still leaving him feeling guilty. He knew she worried for him even when she did not show it and it was something that made him want to bring her with him everywhere he went.

And that was not even considering the worry he felt for her on a near daily basis. Being involved with a former Death Eater. The wizard who had betrayed Voldemort and lived to tell the tale. It did not bode well for either of them if the dark bastard himself were in control of his son's body.

"You know no one will hurt me." Her melodic voice hit his ears with all the force of a tidal wave and pulled his gaze back to hers.

"How can you possibly know that? The future is not set in stone, even you are aware how fickle time and our fates can be." Her fingers came up to cup his cheek and he took a deep breath. Covering her hand on his face with his own was the most natural thing in the world. An affectionate act that he never would have thought he could be comfortable with that simply came from him. Her reverent, kind touches had brought about that change he was certain.

"There are a million roads to the same ending but I know how it ends. I love you, I will not leave you without a fight I promise." She gave him a sweet smile. This was different from her dreamy smile. It was not the same as the one she gave to other people. No, this was a smile that told him she had all of her faculties and that she had full faith in the words she was speaking. It did not show itself often but when it did- Merlin when it did he knew that somehow everything would work out just as she said it would.

"How many children will we have then, my sweet Luna?" He smirked at the wide-eyed look she gave him. It was not a look that lasted long and soon she eased back into his side with a wistful look in her eyes.

"Two, twins, a very handsome boy and a darling girl." His breath stalled in his chest. He had not expected her to have such a precise answer. He supposed he should have expected it. Luna was nothing like any other woman he had ever spent time in the presence of. She was unlike anyone he had ever met before in his life- if he was being honest.

"Is that all?" He tried to play off the slight crack in his voice but failed. More so he knew he failed when she reached up and kissed his cheek with a light giggle.

"Well, that's all I've seen so far. They always wake me up before I can see more but I think. I think there may be another or two if you desire more?" Now she was giving him more of an answer he would expect. A tentative step in the direction of what he wanted from his future, from his life.

If someone had told him he would be contemplating children, a marriage, anything of the sort even a year prior he would have laughed bitterly in their face. Laughed bitterly and very possibly hexed them out of their skin and right into a coma. This was not something he had ever given himself leave to consider. It was not a luxury he thought would ever be within his grasp and thinking on it now he was stumped. What did he want? How many children, did he want to be bound or simply married? Would she still want him if he did not desire the same things he did?

"Severus, you're my forever. You worry far too much, we will sort it as we go. Now come here." She was straddling his legs stretched out in front of him and had reached up to hold both sides of his face. She pulled him into a deep kiss. A kiss that seemed to stretch on forever an end all too soon at the same time as she pushed her fingers back into his hair and angled herself so her face hovered a little over his.

He groaned into the kiss, sighing when she broke their contact and giving her a long look.

"Tell me what you want, my sweet little one." His husky voice drifted into the room and she pecked the tip of his nose. Sitting back on his legs with her pert bum perched just so she considered him for a long moment.

"I want to show you what it means to be loved, to have someone who would do anything for you and expect nothing in return. I want you to be comfortable with the pace of our relationship and let you have all the space you need when you need it. I want you to brew potions in our home and teach our children that sarcastic wit while giving me the opportunity to balance them with an unbiased love for those around them. I want to be held every night in the arms of the only person who will ever possess this much of my heart and know that he is happy to simply be with me." She blinked, her voice shifting slightly as she continued to take him in. "I want you to keep trying to protect me even though I certainly don't need it. I want to watch your magnificent hands as you work, as you touch, as you steeple them to think. I want to listen to your amazing voice reading- even if it is only the newspaper. I want you, and however I have you will be perfectly fine with me."

"My gods how did I ever become so lucky as to have a witch like you?" He pulled her to him. His lips searching her face and finding her beautifully rounded cheeks and sweet little nose before landing square on her plush mouth. She laughed and adjusted herself more comfortably against him. Her fingers tunneled into his hair where it seemed they simply belonged as he kissed her long and deep once more.

"I like to think it is the universe's way of righting itself. When one door closes, another must open, and you've certainly built up enough positive karma to last a lifetime." He did not think he would ever get over the melody that was her sweet voice. He could listen to her ramble about nothing at all- and sometimes did when she became interested in telling him about a new species of something-or-other that she planned to discover. He had no doubt his wonderful little witch would do just that. She was a master of seeing what others were too blind to acknowledge, after all.

"Well thank Merlin the universe sees reason. Now, when is your meeting with Mister Scamander? You are planning a luncheon soon to discuss an apprenticeship with the old man, aren't you?" She grinned broadly at his jibe. She had not been aware before that he had known Newt Scamander but she should not have been surprised. Severus Snape seemed to know everyone in the wizarding world.

"He expects you to be there, you know. He told me so himself." She shifted her position on his thighs and he groaned at the light brush of her hips against his. "We planned to meet on Thursday in Hogsmeade but if you won't be here I can reschedule with him?" She had her tongue trapped between her lips, a sure sign she was considering something.

He could not help himself but to brush the long blonde hair from her face and hook it behind her ear. His eyes roamed her face for a long moment. He was hard pressed to find a feature she possessed that he did not absolutely adore and he knew this meant he was in deep shite.

"I will be certain to be here, my sweet. If only for lunch and then I will go back to the Aurors. I really must see this young man for myself."

"The Death Eaters will expect you to be gone. Draco told me that they are gathering their ranks more aggressively and while Harry has been able to perform the spell we taught him it hasn't been as effective as it has for you in stopping the mark from burning." She was carding her fingers through his hair now. Silken strands fell through her fingers with a strange sort of leisure and his eyes fell closed for a long moment. He felt somewhat like a giant cat, it was quite fantastic when he thought on it.

"I will be careful, my sweet. I assure you nothing will happen to me while I am gone. Can I be so certain that nothing will happen to you?" He cocked an imperious eyebrow, intentionally earning a little frown from his darling little witch.

She pouted, "You mean you want me to stay out of the forest while you are gone, don't you?"

He could not help his smirk at the little pout on her lips. Merlin, he adored everything about the girl.

He pulled her face down so he could kiss her lips gently. "I knew you would understand, my sweet little one."

Her soft palm flattened against his chest as he kissed her and she pulled back with a light flush on her cheeks. She licked her lips with flashing silver eyes before lowering her mouth so that it hovered just above his.

"For being a tease, you get the shower second." She launched herself from his lap with a wild giggle and disappeared into his private bathing room. He sniffed at the closing door and shook his head. Severus could feel the soft smile tugging at his lips as he tossed the sheet from his legs and pulled himself over the edge of the bed.

"I do hope you remembered to lock the door, my sweet." He called quietly just as the water came on and his hand twisted the knob. She stood hidden halfway by the shower door with her neck and face visible and silvery eyes glimmering at him. Warm steam began to fill the room as the shower head poured water far too hot for humans streamed onto the supple skin of his witch. "Ah, my little moon, what would you do were I not here to stop you from burning your skin off." He smirked as he dropped the pajamas from his waist.

"You take cold showers." She cocked a pale blonde eyebrow at him and he chuckled, shaking his head more.

"Shove over, little one. I'll not have my skin set ablaze and you won't be commandeering my private shower." He opened the sliding door she hid behind and she shrieked a laugh at him as his eyes took in her nude form. She was beautiful curves and slender construction. Stepping in he pulled the door closed and adjusted the water so that it balanced precariously between her 'too hot' and his 'too cold'.

"You could have waited, Sir." Her voice was coy and he growled low in his throat as he caught her hips in long slender fingers and tugged her against him. It was true he had not taken her virginity, yet, but that did not mean they had not been in plenty of intimate situations. He could not help but enjoy the ease of closeness he felt with the witch, despite the fact they had not managed to couple in the most intimate of ways just yet.

She moaned softly when his lips found the juncture of her neck and shoulder and he lapped at the cooling beads of water that glistened on her skin. "Mm, I'm afraid that I will never have the control necessary where you are concerned, my sweet one." He sucked softly at the delicate skin as she leaned more against him.

Her soft body molded to the front of his and he sighed his own bliss as he eased his lips from her neck to shoulder in the slowest motion possible. "Gods I hope you never find the control." She groaned.

He could not help it, he laughed.


	31. Chapter 30

∞ Thirty ∞

Luna stared at the Headmistress across from her with an odd sort of sinking feeling in her stomach. She knew something had happened. Could tell by the grim line that formed the woman's mouth and the way she had her fingers folded within one another in front of her on the desk. The blonde blinked and focused all her energy on not panicking, on remaining the calm and chipper person she had been since recovering from the loss of her mother.

"If you do not mind my saying, Professor, it would be beneficial to go ahead and say what it is that needs to be said. I know it must be something rather difficult to stomach but it does neither of us any good to put off the inevitable." The witch's eyes looked momentarily stricken before she took a large breath and straightened her spine.

Luna could tell this news was something monumental. Something that may very well break her heart. She had not had a vision and she could only hope that did not mean it was worse than anything she could come up with.

"Perhaps it would be best if Professor Flitwick spoke with you, you are close to your head of house yes." Luna furrowed her brow and tipped her head.

"You are only succeeding in worrying me more than necessary. What is it, Professor." She could feel that sinking feeling in her stomach intensify. It was as if she had swallowed a weight and it was sinking further and further into her gut. It aided in the pull of gravity and made her entire body feel heavy. Her breaths were growing shorter, she would be panicking soon if the Headmistress did not come out with it soon.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Lovegood, Luna. I'm so sorry." The woman sounded deeply saddened and Luna lowered her head, her eyes latching onto her fingers clasped in her lap. They were beginning to shake. "It's your father my dear, he was attacked in your home…" She trailed as the blonde's sharpening silver eyes shot up to catch the elder witch in a dangerously acute gaze.

"Is he," Luna swallowed, "okay?"

"No, my dear girl, I'm afraid he was killed." Minerva thought for a fleeting moment on the tactic. Rip off the band aid, do not pull it slowly, her muggle father had always said. Well, it appeared to have been the wrong route in this case as the blonde girl went considerably paler than she'd been.

"I see, thank you for informing me." Luna did not feel her legs when she stood. She could not feel them. She could not feel her hands or arms as she drifted from the office with the Headmistress still speaking to her. She lost her footing on the second step from the top and she could not think through the haze in her mind as she tumbled down the stairs. She did not feel the pain of the fall until she hit the stone floor at their bottom.

The last thing Severus Snape expected to receive during his short trip to Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had been a letter from Hermione Granger. At first he had thought to toss the letter aside after it was delivered by owl before he reconsidered and thought that it may have something to do with Luna. His Luna, his sweet little moon.

He had only been parted from her for little more than three days and he was already missing her terribly. It was with an annoying sense of dread that he thumbed open the seal on the parchment and unrolled the letter written in familiar handwriting. Granger had always had almost obnoxiously perfect penmanship.

 _Professor Snape,_

 _I want to start this letter by informing you that Luna is perfectly okay. I would hate for you to come here and maim us all with a look because we did not do our due diligence and care for her properly. She is awake, and safe in the Hospital wing here at Hogwarts._ The hospital wing? Black eyes narrowed.

 _She took a bit of a tumble down the stairs to the Headmistress' office and she's healing perfectly well so there is no reason to worry. Professor McGonagall has asked that we do not pull you away from your task but we thought it pertinent- we being Ginny and I- that we inform you of what has happened in the last two days._ He scoffed. Minerva could be as thick as Dumbledore at times. She knew he would be annoyed at being bothered but had not considered how annoyed he would be not knowing what was happening to his Luna. Merlin.

 _Her father was killed by Death Eaters and it appears she is suffering from a bit of trauma due to the news being given to her. She was stunned and before Professor McGonagall could stop her she left her office and took a bit of a spill down the stairs. She is healing well and conscious but she will not talk to any of us. She is asking for you, Sir, and while I am well aware of the important nature of your trip away from Hogwarts Ginny and myself feel you may be more necessary here than there._

 _I hope this finds you well,_

 _Hermione Granger_

Severus looked around the room he had only been settled into for a few days and heaved a breath. They were already scouting around the school and getting a basic understanding of the boy and his behaviors. It would not be long until Harry and Weasley brought him round for questioning. They still had not chosen to involve the Ministry in its full capacity yet and the answers the young man could give would be the deciding factor in where they went in the future.

He shifted the parchment in his fingers, but Luna was his future. No matter what happened with this Voldemort business, no matter what happened here with their conversations and Ministry's involvement- Luna was his future.

He groaned and wadded the parchment into a ball. Tossing it into the fire he glanced at the door to his small room and cleared his throat. She lost her father, the only family she had left. He needed to go to her no matter how important his part in all that was happening where he was seemed. It was an easy choice to conjure a piece of parchment and settle it on the little desk in the room he occupied.

He scrawled a quick letter to Harry and Weasley, settled a vial of Veritaserum with strict instructions for dosing on top of it, and gathered his cloak from the hook on the back of the door. He would travel by floo to London and then floo to Hogsmeade to make his way to Hogwarts. He would be able to arrive by early the next day and he could only hope she would be okay until then.

He remembered the way she had told him she wanted him to keep trying to protect her despite her opinion that she did not need it. She may not need his protection in all situations but in this one it felt perfectly justified.

Tossing a handful of powder into the floo he called out his destination and vanished in a flash of green flames. Thirty minutes after he had gone Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley arrived with their man.

"Well, looks like it's just us mate." Harry shook his head as his eyes flickered across the parchment on the Potions Master's desk.

"Better that way, the git would have been a handful if he'd been here to find out what little Riddle knows about Loony Lovegood." Ron said, ineloquent as ever.

"Don't let him hear you call her that." Harry snorted as they escorted the young man with deep black hair and sharp eyes into the chair at the desk. He was bound by magical ropes and wiggling all the while but unable to escape.

"Three drops on the tongue it says, Harry."

"Yeah, yeah, been there…" He grunted and unstoppered the vial. The young man gave them a sharp look, eyes flashing red and making Harry wrinkle his nose. "Let's see what you've got to say then, eh?"

Luna was staring at her hands folded in front of her on her lap. She had not wanted to move for what felt like hours and so she'd just sat and stared. Ginny and Hermione had come at some point and tried to offer their condolences but she had not wanted to hear them.

Maybe later, but not now, now she was not ready to hear what others had to say. Her dad, her wonderful, crazy dad had been all she had had of a family. He was her everything and she had essentially lived her life to take care of him.

Now what did she have? She shook off the niggling voice that told her she had Severus. She was not ready to pull herself out of the pit her self-pity was digging. She could not believe she really had him there for her until she saw him standing at her bedside. Until he held her.

Circe, she wanted him there to hold her.

She stared down at her fingers for a few more minutes before reaching up and feeling the wand still tucked behind her left ear. She wondered why she had not seen his loss coming as she had seen her mother's. She wondered why she felt suddenly so completely and utterly alone in the world when only a few hours, or was it a day now? Ago she had felt perfectly encompassed by everything she needed.

Her hands trembled and she clenched her fingers together in her lap once more.

She was going to miss him. She was going to miss him so much that she was not sure she would ever be able to fill the hole in her chest. The only pleasure she could take in the idea that he was gone was the idea that he and his Pandora were finally together once again. Her mother and father together in one place was a nice thought and she clung to it for a lingering moment as she stared at her trembling fingers.

Everything she was made up of was gone, gone to dust and ash and she had not even been able to say goodbye to him.

She hoped he was not too frightened in his last moments. She hoped he had not worried for her while they had been hurting him. It was more than she could handle to think and she pinched her eyes closed as her stomach turned over inside her and she launched herself from the comfortable cot and towards the trash can that sat a few feet away.

She had not eaten anything in at least a day- there was nothing in her to come up and so she heaved. She heaved and heaved until her abdomen muscles cramped and her throat ached and there were tears crawling down her cheeks.

"She needs to take a calming draught." She could hear the medi-witch speaking with someone outside her little sectioned off place. She would not take it, she refused.

She would not cheapen the pain or the true burn that the loss of her father caused by taking something to numb it. It would still be there later. Their draughts would do nothing to take it away.

"She refuses?" That voice was familiar and leaned back on her knees. Her eyes shot to the tall figure just outside the white enclosure that separated her from the rest of the wing.

"Maybe you can convince her?" The Mediwitch again. That familiar, honey voice spoke up for her.

"If she refuses it is for a reason. I will go to see her now."

"Try to convince her, Severus." He did not respond to the woman, instead he parted the white fabric and caught sight of her in the floor on her knees.

His charm work was quick and soon he had wrapped them in a silencing charm and warded the white cloth so that no one was admitted to enter that they did not first approve. He watched her with those smoldering black eyes and she felt them then. The first prickles of moisture since she had heard the news of her father.

Large, hot tears began streaming down her cheeks at a pace so swift she could not hope to staunch them and he crossed to her in three long strides.

"Oh, my sweet one, everything will be okay love." He knelt and swept her into his arms, she cried. She cried and cried and when he curled around her in her shoddy little cot she passed out buried in his chest. Her eyes raw from crying and his warmth wrapped around her making her feel at least that security.


	32. Chapter 31

∞ Thirty-One ∞

Severus could not claim to be someone who knew Xenophilius Lovegood well. He had graduated early in Severus' Hogwarts career and his wife had finished shortly thereafter. He knew him only as the owner of the Quibbler and producer of the loveliest daughter. He knew the man to be quite outlandish in thinking and often scatter brained with a largely childlike quality to him that made him seem like someone Severus had never really wanted to know.

Now he regretted that decision. Listening to the man's daughter curled against his chest, and telling him how much her father would have loved him he wished to have known him. He wished more than anything to ask his daughter's hand of him and be accepted by the older eccentric. He wanted to see the man who had raised such a wonderfully compassionate and giving woman.

A woman that seemed to have been made for Severus himself.

Luna regaled him with tales of their travels, their explorations and searching for wild and more than likely made up creatures. He listened and held her when she cried. Soon she was to be released from the hospital wing- a relief to them both. Their meeting with Newt Scamander had been rescheduled and Severus had heard from Harry and Weasley that the boy had given them a lot of useful information on the things that were happening right under all of their noses.

The Ministry was finally going to be getting involved.

Luna chose not to have a ceremony for her father. Opting instead to mourn his passing in private with Severus at her side the day after she was released from the Hospital wing. His body had been held in a stasis and it was to her to release the spell and allow the body to burst into soft silver flames before disappearing from the earth forever. She fingered her wand nervously for a long time before she finally managed to stroke a hand down the side of the wizard's face.

To Severus he looked old and tired. Like he had been waiting for some time to find his peace from this plane of existence. A thought he would have shared with Luna if not for his worry of upsetting her.

"Come my sweet one," he wrapped her in his arms and she lay her face against his chest to watch as the body of her father disappear in sparkles of silvery fire. "He is at peace now, my little one, no one can ever hurt him again."

"Do you think they were cruel? Did they torture him the way Tom Riddle would have?" Her sweet voice was muffled by the fabric of his robes and it pained him to consider the possibility. He stroked a hand down her spine and his fingers stilled in the small of her back. Caressing the little dimples at the end of her spine he kissed the top of her head and looked back to the stone that had once held her father. They were in the middle of a field near her family home. His name had been added in a beautiful flowing script to the top of the slab just beside that of Pandora Lovegood.

"I think there are few who could come up with such brilliant methods of torture as that wizard. I truly believe that being a pure-blooded wizard would have saved him quite a lot of pain, my sweet one." She nodded into his chest and pressed her slight form more tightly to his. He adored his tiny little witch and in such moments he felt that overwhelming need to protect her surge through him.

He wished he had been able to protect her from this loss.

"I hope he is with my mum now. They loved each other so much, despite the way their relationship began they were a beautiful couple." He brought the hand that rested at the small of her back up and stroked it down her long blonde hair. His fingers tangled in the pale locks as he drew that line down her spine again.

"I think that we find exactly what we need at the end of this life." He breathed into her hair taking in her earthy scent, and savoring it. He rarely gave thought to the afterlife. He would embrace death as a man who had done his best to atone for his sins and that in his mind had to be enough. Luna shivered and he was pulled back to the moment.

"We should go, you will catch a chill." Her face drew back and there was a sweet little smile on her face despite her tear swollen eyes.

"Always trying to take care of me." She made a face like a smirk and he cocked an eyebrow, surprised by her tone.

"I care for you quite intensely. Should something happen to you I would be displeased to say the least." He dipped to kiss her lips lightly and she sighed into the connection. Her sweet breath caressed his lips as he pulled back to hover just a hair's breadth from her soft mouth.

"He would have adored you for saying something like that. He was not a traditional man and he always told me to follow my heart. I'm sorry you didn't get to meet him officially but he knew about you from the time I was little."

"The dreams?" Severus pulled both eyebrows up as he drew back from her. His arms were still wrapped securely around her back. His fingers were splayed across the thin expanse. She gave a little nod of confirmation as her fingers played at the front of his frockcoat. The thin digits skipped and skittered across the buttons that lined his front and he took a deep breath to soothe his raging blood. "I want you to take your N.E. early." He spoke quickly, his voice quiet.

Luna gave him an appraising look, her gentle gaze sweeping from the tip of his forehead to the broad slope of his shoulders. She tipped her head with a thoughtful look as if considering him and he fought the urge to look away. There was something in that intense look that made him feel almost uncomfortable.

It was not the first time he felt as though she was looking into him. He was certain it would not be the last.

"They have arranged for the testing to begin just after Christmas Holidays for Ms. Granger and I'm certain you are more than capable of passing with high marks at this point in your education. It is something you are able to do upon request as long as the tests are already scheduled and it would…" He trailed and took a deep breath.

"It would make you feel better about our relationship?"

He could not help but feel the slightest twinge of guilt. Here they were standing outside the empty shell of her family home. Her father only just having been consumed by the flames and he was putting this on her. He could be such an inconsiderate git sometimes.

Severus stepped back and away from her. Relieving her of his grasping hands and staring at the ground as if it were the most interesting thing he had ever seen. His black hair fell in his face, shielding it from her view and he felt more than saw her shift on her feet.

Her face slipped into his view as she stepped to stand under the curtain his hair created. Her head was tipped back so she was looking directly into his eyes and if her body were any closer to his own they would fuse.

"You want to be with me in an official way?" He stared into her beautiful silvery eyes. They were wide and at one point he had thought they made her look surprised all of the time. Now he understood better than he ever thought he might that they were simply open to the world. There was a purity in her that kept her from hooding those expressive eyes. She never hid her true self, her inner self.

A soft jerking nod was his only response and she smiled. A small hand came up and cupped his cheek, soft and incredibly cold in the approaching fall air.

"And the Malfoy All-Hallows soiree is a prime place to begin easing those who don't know us into the idea of our relationship?" She had raised a slender pale eyebrow and he furrowed his brow. Merlin, he had forgotten about that, it was soon wasn't it? A few days away.

"It seems to be, yes." Her hands fisted in his frockcoat on either side of his chest and she pulled herself up onto her toes. Her lips pressed to his almost awkwardly and he immediately adjusted his stance and tilted his head to make this kiss as comfortable as the rest. She cooed, _cooed_ , against his mouth and he could not fight the smirk that crawled across his face when he pulled back to stare down at her.

"Merlin my sweet Luna, you will be the death of me."

"Can we stay here tonight?" She was staring up at him with those wide eyes again and he thought he would give her anything she wanted if she would only keep looking at him like that.

"I see no reason we cannot." She was excused from classes for the typical period of mourning Hogwarts allowed for a death in the family and would not be required to return for another day or two.

"Thank you." Her brilliant smile expressed more thanks to him than her words ever could and he hooked his fingers through hers. Luckily, he had had the foresight to hire someone to clean the strange rook-shaped home before they had come to pay their final respects. He was especially glad for it now that she wanted to stay there for the evening.

When they entered he was almost taken aback by the incredibly homely feel of the place. Despite the things that had happened there and the fact it had been cleaned as thoroughly as the wizarding world could provide it still felt as though someone were living there.

There were books scattered about on shelves and wildly strange ornaments that dangled from doorways and window panes. The floor was covered in a tapestry of brightly colored rugs and the table that sat in the center of the room held odd trinkets that he would have to come closer to identify. He took in the paintings on the walls, they decorated the entire space and he knew just by looking that they were the works of his witch.

It was almost like a catalogue of her youth. He could tell outright which pieces were done by a young Luna and recognized some of her most recent works, including one that looked suspiciously like his eyes.

The image that caught and held his attention however was a well detailed painting of two children standing side by side. They sported long and wild black hair, and nearly identical facial features, including glimmering silver eyes that held him entranced for a long moment.

"I see them often in my dreams and they are so carefree and wonderful that it makes my heart cry out for them." She was standing beside him, her arm brushed against his. Severus did not fight the urge to wrap his arm around her shoulders and pull her into his side. He embraced her like this for a long moment staring at the painted image of two beautiful children.

"They don't have my nose. Thank Merlin."

"Your nose is perfectly fine. It gives you character." Her voice drifted dreamily over him and he snorted inelegantly,

"Mad, you are mad." He pressed a delicate kiss to the top of her head and released her. "And in need of sleep, where will we retire my sweet?"

"I thought we might take the master bedroom, father stopped sleeping there when mum passed so it has been unoccupied for a long time." He curled his fingers through hers and nodded, urging her to lead the way.

It would not be the first time they shared a bed and he was sure it would not be the last.


	33. Chapter 32

∞ Thirty-Two ∞

Sharing a bed with Luna Lovegood was not uncommon to Severus. In fact, he found himself quite accustomed to the way her small body occupied the space of a bed beside him and her little breaths filled the room with soft sound. What he was not accustomed to was the witch whining in her sleep.

Her soft cries were different from anything he had ever heard before. She did not sob or cry out, nor did she flail or stir much at all. Instead she lay still in one place with her legs curled to her stomach and her shoulders shaking softly. Little whimpers escaped her and he could not help but hook his arm around her waist and drag her back against him.

"What is wrong little one? I am here for you, to listen, to hold you. You have no need to suffer alone, I will help you." He pressed his lips to the back of her neck through the mass of her long hair and she relaxed against him. His fingers splayed across her stomach and she let out a shaky breath.

"I can't help feeling I am alone in the world now. No family, mum, dad, they're gone now and I've never felt quite so alone." Her voice was muted by the pillow that cushioned her head and the fact she had her back to him but he could hear her none the less.

He stroked her stomach with his fingers. Severus was not accustomed to giving comfort but he felt the incredible desire to do so. "I am here, with you, you are not alone my sweet little one." He eased her up so he could trap his other arm beneath her and hook his hands together across her midriff. He drew her back more firmly against him and lay his face against hers, settling them cheek to cheek. His long body wrapped her around much smaller figure as he spooned the blonde witch.

She sniffed and he nuzzled his cheek to hers. He could feel the evaporating moisture of her tears and turned his face in an attempt to kiss the wet trail away.

"I will be your family, my little moon. We can make those children you've dreamt a reality, I would give you the sky to stop this suffering." He could feel her lips turn up in a faint smile against his face and he nuzzled against her again. "See that's better now, come my little moon, we shall sleep and talk of our fantastic future in the morning."

"Thank you Severus."

"Your thanks are unnecessary, little one. I would have insisted upon such a future soon, you have only forced my hand sooner."

Soon her breaths fell even and he knew she was asleep against him. Slipping his arm from beneath her warm body was an easy task despite his reluctance. He rolled, black hair falling into his face and slipped from the bed quietly.

Bare feet padded across the room to a vanity where his neatly folded cloak and robes resided. He slipped a slender fingered hand into the pockets one by one until he found what he sought. Producing a small grey ring box, he flipped it open and gazed down at the ring inside. It was a simple ring- gold with a moonstone set in the middle. There was a crescent moon on either side and the band was decorated with two little diamonds just beyond the moons. The top and bottom of the moonstone were adorned with three sparkling diamonds as well. It was a dainty ring, one he had picked up while he was visiting Beauxbatons. He had caught sight of it in one of the local shops and known, right then that it was the right ring for his Luna.

He tugged it from the box and pinched between his fingers inspected it in the dim moonlight that filtered into the room. It was a task crawling back into the bed without waking his witch and he was relieved when he slipped back into the bed behind her. She cooed and wriggled back against him, seeking warmth in the cooled bed.

He caught her left hand and pulled it up, inspecting her dainty fingers, the paint stained fingernails and smiled to himself. It was easy to slip the small ring onto her finger and he stared at it there on her small hand for a long moment. Yes, in the morning they could speak of their future.

He wanted her to take her N.E.W.T.s with Granger. He needed her and she was in his blood now. There was nothing he could do to stop the progression of their relationship now, as if he would if he could. He wanted to make her his bride and take her to his bed never to let her go again. The dark mark on his arm burned aggressively and he clenched his teeth while forcing back a groan.

He would let her sleep, she could stop the pain in the morning if it carried on.

Luna awoke sleep warmed in her parents' home and despite her rather sad situation smiled to herself. There was a body wrapped around her from behind. Long arms caging her to a warm and solid chest and black hair tickled her cheek. She inhaled deeply the scent of the cool country air and potions master that lingered around her.

Her fingers wiggled and she stilled, silvery eyes found her left ring finger and on it rested a beautiful gold ring. She admired the moonstone in its center before running her fingers reverently across the little crescents that decorated it. A soft smile lit her face as she stared down at the new addition. There was no doubt in her mind who it had come from and it made her heart soar to think of the implication of that one simple piece of jewelry.

Severus stirred behind her and groaned. His arms tightened around her and pulled her more firmly against him. She wiggled and paused at the feeling of his morning erection digging into her bum. She wiggled again and he let out a low growl in her ear.

"Do not tempt me, witch." His voice was still heavy from sleep and she released a soft little laugh at the purred threat.

"It's perfect, by the way." She spoke quietly, her melodic voice filling the room and making the wizard behind her prop himself up on his elbow. He urged her to lay on her back with a hand to her hip and stared down at her. His black hair swayed around his face and she reached up to brush it back with tender fingers.

"I had thought to ask you when you completed your education. After last night however I have no desire to wait. I want a family as well my little moon. I have waited so long, denied myself even the smallest happiness for so many years. I want to make you mine properly and perhaps begin work on those sweet little twins you've been teasing me with." He smirked at the dreamy look in her eyes.

The look he had put there. This was not her usual look but something else entirely. A look filled with longing, and love, and trust so deep and so pure it made his stomach bubble with something foreign.

"I will take my N.E.W.T.s with Hermione." Her voice drifted up and over him and one of the few true smiles he had ever granted anyone splayed across his face.

"Good, then I will have you as my bride even sooner than I'd dreamed." He dipped, his lips capturing hers in a sweet kiss. As their lips continued to move together the kiss deepened, his tongue begging interest and her lips parting all too willingly to accept it.

He stroked his slick tongue around hers indulging in her sweet flavor. He would draw back and lead her tongue into his own mouth before sucking at it gently and then chasing it back to hers. He teased her like this until her hips were rolling and she was moaning and cooing beneath his ministrations.

A large hand grasped her hip and tugged at her, pulling her so he could stretch his long body over hers as they continued to snog in the sunlit room. He lost hours to her lips not finding himself again until her stomach gave a roar of protest and she smiled playfully up at him when he pulled away.

"Are you hungry, little one?" He smirked teasingly and she nodded softly. Her blonde hair splayed around her on the pillows made her look positively angelic and entirely delectable. He dipped to lay one last closed kiss to her lips and hauled himself from the bed. "I suppose it would be time to return to Hogwarts at any rate. We will need to clear your early exams with Minerva and while I highly doubt she will have any problems she will most likely want our reason."

"What will we tell her?" Luna was staring down at her ring now, her eyes focused on the glinting moonstone at its center and he cleared his throat. Immediately her eyes snapped up to his and he held her in that gaze for a long moment.

"That I intend to take you as my wife and keep you for all of eternity, does this sound acceptable?" A toothy smile was all the answer he needed as he held out a hand to help haul her from the bed.

They dressed in comfortable silence that was only broken by Luna's random humming and he smiled to himself with his back to the witch. She really was something miraculous. She never expected more of him than he could give. She did not expect a grand proposal, in fact she had seemed perfectly fine with the way he had gone about things.

It was impossible not to admire her for what she was; a powerful, dedicated, and understanding witch.


	34. Chapter 33

∞ Thirty-Three ∞

"I have news, Severus." Were the first words from Minerva's mouth as he entered her office. Luna had gone to the Ravenclaw common room to begin studying for her testing. She had left him with a soft kiss to his cheek and a promise to join him in his room in the evening.

"Well, what is it then?" He grunted. He wanted to tell her the plans he and Luna had devised and he was rather impatient to have it all out in the open.

"The Riddle boy has escaped, as of right now no one is certain exactly where it is he has gone." Two large palms slammed down on the desk in front of him. Minerva did not flinch, accustomed to his wild temper and watched him with a nonplussed expression on her face.

"Those morons can do nothing right can they!? No, they must always screw up, do they not understand the implications of such an escape? If Voldemort truly clings to this plain of existence via his son he will stop at nothing to have his life back!" Minerva nodded still regarding him with a calm expression as he settled back into his seat.

He could feel the pulse of an oncoming headache and heaved a breath.

"We will deal with it." He finally came full circle and Minerva nodded this time. It was lucky she knew to wait out his rage and allow him a chance to find his peace with the matter. "Until then I have a very important request to make of you." He breathed and folded on leg over the other, his ankle rested on his knee.

"I will do my best to help you, my boy, what is it?" She too had leaned back in her seat and was watching him from overtop her small rectangle spectacles. He almost barked a bitter laugh at her resemblance to Dumbledore in that moment.

"Ms. Lovegood would like to sit her N.E. with Ms. Granger." His jaw worked. The muscle ticked beneath the skin as he gave the elder witch a long look. "Certainly, you know how she has situated herself in my life and how I feel for her."

Minerva nodded, "I knew before you I would presume. She came to me at the beginning of the year and made her intentions clear. She seems to have the impression you and she are meant to be together."

Severus could not help the soft smile that played on his lips at this. His dark eyes taking in the almost uneasy expression of the Headmistress. "I think there is more to their divination nonsense than I'd once given them credit for." He smirked at the wide-eyed look on her face. She had been his teacher for years, his colleague for more and he could not draw on a memory of a time she had looked so shocked by his words. "I have asked her to be my wife, Minnie, it would mean the world to me if I could have your approval. I have no family," his eyes shifted downward, "and now she finds herself in the same state. I- I love her and I need to do this properly…"

She watched him with a level gaze for a few long moments before smiling softly. He could see the hesitance still there in her eyes but knew she would give him this.

"After all you've been through, I understand. The Board of Governors cannot know how deep this relationship goes until her tests have been completed. It would be sad for such an intelligent young woman to lose her chance at a future because of your relationship." She swallowed and cleared her throat, her eyes burning a familiar confidence. "You have my blessing Severus, she may sit her N.E. with Ms. Granger."

"Thank you, Minnie, you have to know how much this means to me." He stood, the witch followed, rounding the desk and wrapping him in a surprisingly warm hug.

"Don't disappoint me young man. You're getting a chance at happiness and you'd do well to not take advantage of it." She smiled, eyes wet when she pulled away from him and he watched her with wide dark eyes. It was rare the tough old bird showed such emotion so plainly. They had both taken their licks in life and come out harsher around the edges for it.

"Impossible, I could never take advantage of her." The firm elder witch shook her head and ushered him to the door.

"Good, now out with you, and keep your eyes open. The boy is still loose and we aren't sure what he has planned yet." He left her office, watching the door close behind him with a bemused expression.

Minerva McGonagall was another witch who never ceased to amaze him. Bloody Gryffindor in all her brass.

He was in such a good mood as he made his way down the halls that he took ten points from Gryffindor because a student looked at him and smirked to himself wickedly. He could not very well risk his reputation after all.

Luna skipped down the hall toward the door that held her fiancé, she had not seen any of her friends since her return and she assumed they were allowing her a bit more time to grieve before they came laying on the affection thickly. Neville of course had written her as soon as he had heard the news and offered to come and stay with her on several occasions.

She had declined him, assuring him that Severus was looking after her and that she would be okay. If there was any one person in the world who understood her deep love of her father it was Neville. He knew how she felt about him, how protective she was to the wild minded man.

Rather suddenly she tripped, no doubt caused by a _tripping jinx_ and her arms pinwheeled comically as she toppled toward the floor. She caught herself with the palms of her hands winced at the way the stone floor of the dungeons scraped her delicate palms. She sat there for a moment on her hands and knees in the floor. Blonde hair fell over her shoulders and trailed the floor and her wand had toppled from behind her ear to the floor.

"How rude." She hummed not nearly as annoyed as one would expect and pulled herself from the floor after grasping her wand. There were a few students stood around her laughing, all Slytherins given her location and she smiled, laughing a bit herself. "Yes, I suppose it was a bit funny." She hummed before tucking her wand back behind her left ear and brushing the hair from her face.

She drifted away, ignoring the trailing laughter and smiling when she made it to the door to Severus' private chambers. Her palms stung and she thought she would have to ask him for something to help them when she slipped into his chambers and to the door guarded by Gnomina.

"They should be ashamed of themselves." The knocker huffed as the door swung open and Luna thanked her softly. She tried not to think too hard on the things that others did. More often than not the meanest of students were only so because of their own insecurities.

Luna had no use for insecurities and thus she did her best not to have any. Of course, as any human she had them, but she tried to face them head on and dispel them instead of lingering on the idea. It did not matter what other people thought of her after all.

Well- she could think of one wizard whose opinion mattered to her more than anyone she had ever known.

"I understand you are the local potions genius, perhaps you have something to heal my hands?" She held her hands in front of Severus palms up when she rounded the chair he sat reading in and he lowered his book to look at her palms with narrowed eyes.

"What happened?"

"Tripping jinx, quite funny really until the sting set in." She smiled dreamily despite the vicious growl that broke his chest. He shook his head, black hair swayed into his face and she pushed it away with her fingertips.

"Lucky I was not with you…" The dark wizard grunted under his breath as he drew her into his lap and pulled his wand from his robes. "A simple healing charm should suffice though I wish you would identify the perpetrators so that I may punish them properly." He huffed as he healed one hand before the other and she pressed several little kisses to his cheek.

"Relax, it's not that serious." She cooed into his ear and he could feel the tension in his shoulders fall away softly at her melodic voice. "What did Professor McGonagall say?"

"That the Riddle boy is free." He grunted irritably and the blonde witch raised both eyebrows at him.

"He's escaped the Ministry?" Severus could only nod. "Everything will be okay." She kissed his temple and wiggled in his lap a little, making herself more comfortable.

"As you say, my sweet moon." He kissed the side of her head and leaned back in his chair a bit.

"What else did she say, or did you forget to ask when you heard the bad news?" She hummed curiously and he smirked, she was just as anxious as he had been.

"She gave us her blessing and permission for your tests to be taken early." Her brilliant smile was blinding when she turned her face to look up at him and he could not resist her sweet lips. He dipped to kiss her, drawing her into a deep, long kiss as his tongue sought hers and he found his bliss.

"Severusss…" She cooed when he pulled away and he smirked. Black hair curtained around his face.

His voice was husky when he spoke again, "Soon you will be entirely mine, little one." A chill raced up and down her spine and she lay her head against his shoulder.

"I can't wait."


	35. Chapter 34

∞ Thirty-Four ∞

It was with agitation that Severus realized the day of the Malfoy All-Hallows celebration was upon them. He no longer had any desire to participate in such festivities, much as in the past he had found himself lacking in such desires. Standing there, in his usual frockcoat buttoned to the collar with black trousers and an air of absolute irritation he could not help his growing anxiety.

Would Luna be able to handle this as she had all other situations with grace and poise? He hoped so vehemently. It was to her advantage that she was a pureblood no doubt, it would save her quite a lot of judgement but being with him. Being who she was, it was a dangerous game to play. It would always be a dangerous game, no matter how many dark lords fell there would always be someone else to threaten their world it seemed.

Heaving a sigh of irritation, he straightened his collar once more and gave up on looking any different than he did any other day. If anyone asked he would simply tell them he was masquerading as a person who had a desire to be there. They expected very little of him in either case.

He could feel her moving through his wards before he saw her, her little body half shielded behind his as she stood to his side. Staring at her in the mirror he noticed once more just how much she was his opposite; where he sported eyes nearly dark as coal, hers were a much more pleasing shade of soft silver. Her hair was soft and blonde like spun silk and so incredibly long, his was lank and never ceased to look oily no matter how much he tried to make it behave otherwise, and a deep blue-black that made his sallow face look even more so. She was a silvery moon, trapped in the darkest of skies when she was situated so comfortably in his arms.

She moved so that he could see her fully and his breath was all but torn from his chest as he stared at her. She wore a long, white gown that flowed past her feet and pooled on the floor around her. He had a suspicion she had made good on her promise not to wear shoes. She had donned a crown of white flowers and her hair flowing freely around her made her look almost otherworldly.

He knew the truth about her though, and she was very much otherworldly.

"You look exquisite, my little moon goddess. I suddenly find myself much more interested in attending this blasted celebration now." Her smile was radiant and he knew he would give anything to see it light her face a thousand times more.

"And are you then the Pan to my Selene?" Her smile turned cheeky and he cocked an eyebrow.

"I could hardly be confused for such a mischievous satyr, my love." He sometimes forgot how vast the knowledge of his little witch was and often marveled at the depth of her intellect despite her flighty manner.

"Zeus then." Her eyes sparkled and he tugged her around to stand in front of him. Wrapping his arms about her from behind and resting his chin upon the top of her head, careful not to crush her flower crown he observed their appearance together.

"Ah but that I had the infinite power of the King of Gods." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and she cocked a slim blonde eyebrow at him.

"You are quite the powerful wizard." She covered his larger hands with her own and he ventured another kiss to the top of her head.

"You're forgetting the lover that I most resemble, my little moon." She furrowed her brow in thought.

"Surely you aren't comparing yourself to Endymion."

"As am I, in comparison to my little goddess." She blushed and he could not remember if it was the first he had ever seen on her face. He thought it may be and marveled at the light pink to her cheeks. "We should leave, before I decide to keep you here for only my eyes to gaze upon." She filled his rooms with the joyful sound of her laugh and turned in his arms.

Rising up on her toes she pressed a soft kiss to his lips and settled onto the floor flat footed once more. "I love you."

"I should certainly hope so." He could not stop the smirk that played its way across his face.

Luna noted rather early in their visit to Malfoy Manor that the family was well accustomed to throwing a rather large party. There were witches and wizards from all walks of life, as well as many departments of the Ministry and some who were familiar to her from moving within her father's circles.

She stayed close to Severus, nearly clinging to him as they navigated the overcrowded ballroom of the Manor. Somehow though she felt that he needed her close to him more than she needed him. He was stiff, and his face stern as it ever was in public.

She heard a few condolences on the loss of her father but was not unaware of the looks in their eyes. They thought she was weird, an outcast. Not that she could fault them that, amongst these social circles that was exactly what she was, an outcast. It was a fact however that as she stood with her wizard's arm circling her shoulders that she gave even less a care than she would have done in the past.

Harry and Draco eventually managed their way to the wall-bound couple and Luna gave each of them a bright smile in turn. Harry was wearing a strange hat on his head and bulky white suit, where as Draco seemed to be quite…furrier…than usual.

"What on earth are you wearing?" Severus was the first to speak as Luna stared at them curiously. She thought Draco rather looked like a comical version of a werewolf but as for Harry's costume she was at a loss.

"Hello to you too, Severus." Draco smirked and crossed his arms across his chest before bowing softly to Luna. "You look lovely this evening Ms. Lovegood." She smiled even as she felt Severus' fingers tighten on her shoulder.

She was well aware of his more possessive tendencies, though she hadn't exactly expected them to make an appearance where his Godson was concerned.

"I'm an Astronaut!" Harry exclaimed excitedly and Luna gave him a wide-eyed look to accompany her dreamy smile.

"Oh, that's very interesting Harry!"

"You have no clue what it is, do you?" The witch smiled sheepishly and Severus chuckled a laugh.

"I haven't the faintest I'm sorry. I suppose it is an interesting sort of creature though." She tilted her head at the reflective material on his strange hat and clicked her tongue. "And what are you Draco?"

She didn't notice the put-out look on Harry's face as he'd been preparing himself to explain that it wasn't a creature at all. Instead his shoulders drooped and he frowned. Severus gave him a sly smirk, both eyebrows in his hairline.

"I, am a muggle's version of a werewolf. Dreadful imaginations they have, not even scary." The blonde replied haughtily only to receive a smack on the back of his head from his boyfriend.

"Just because it isn't scary doesn't mean it isn't interesting."

"If you say so." Severus shook his head and turned to Luna who was no longer paying attention to them but staring up at him. When their eyes met she smiled and tipped her head ever so slightly.

"I believe my date and I should have a dance." He released her only to offer her his arm and she tucked her small hand into the soft folds of fabric.

"If by that you mean you will be dancing and Luna will be stumbling I can certainly see it." Draco earned another smack to his head from his boyfriend and a glare from his godfather.

"I believe we can make do." His dark, velvet voice drifted over them and he lead her away to the dance floor. She winked at Harry over her shoulder before taking her place in front of the tall, austere wizard. His face was firm and blank as ever as he reached an arm down and around her waist and she stepped up onto his feet with a giggle. She'd proven to be as terrible at dancing as she'd proclaimed and so they had improvised.

Severus had made good on his promise and allowed her to stand on his feet. His smooth, elegant movements drawing her around the room as she smiled up at him. She felt safe, and so very right there held in his arms that it was hard to care that she had no command of her own movements. She allowed him full power over the way they swayed across the floor and trusted him implicitly to keep her from mucking their dancing up.

When the slow tune they'd been dancing to ended and he stopped moving to simply hold her against his chest she smiled into the folds of his robes and took a deep breath. His intoxicating scent washed over her and made her entire body relax against him. She yawned and he pulled back to gaze down at her.

"Is my little moon growing weary of the night's activities?"

Luna yawned once more, "I haven't the energy to decode that statement. If you mean to ask if I am tired I most certainly am."

His loud chuckle seemed to startle more than just a few of the Malfoy's guests and as he led her away from the dance floor she could feel their eyes lingering on her. She did not care. She had never cared, and she never would.

"It would appear my date is ready to retire, my friend." Severus spoke while she leant against him. She had not even realized they'd made it across the room to their host and hostess until her silvery eyes peeked open and she saw them standing tall and willow before her.

"It really was a lovely party." She yawned again and earned a chuckle from Malfoy Sr.

"We hope to have you attend many more." He clapped Severus on the shoulder and it jarred both his slender frame as well as Luna's propped against him. Her eyes drifted open to stare at the blonde with mild offense. "Do take care my friend. Come as more than a guest to a party, you know you and your betrothed are always welcome here." Severus nodded and said something she could not quite hear under his breath.

Lucius whispered something back and chuckled, Severus cocked an eyebrow but she could see the humor in his eyes just before hers closed again.

If there were more goodbyes she missed them and soon she found herself ensconced in warm covers and her heavy eyelids were drifting closed.

She yawned once more and the thought occurred to her that her fatigue had come on rather suddenly. She could see the glimmers of the thought, dancing like strands of a memory before her mind's eye but they slipped through her fingers before she could truly grasp them as she fell into sleep.


	36. Chapter 35

∞ Thirty-Five ∞

"Peculiar…" Luna hummed to herself as she looked around. It was clear her present location was not in awaking world but was instead more than likely a dream. She blinked a few times trapped her tongue between her lips with a deep breath through her nose.

She'd realized that the slumber she had fallen into wasn't natural. She wasn't particularly certain the cause but she was more than aware that she did not simply fall into sleep without being cognizant on a level of what was happening. She ran her fingers across the back of a softly upholstered sofa and tipped her head in thought. Her hair was loose about her shoulders and swayed with the motion and she felt behind her ear only to find her wand was nowhere to be found.

Okay, if she was in a dream then that wasn't necessarily a big deal. She should be able to draw on her own internal wishes to change the dream if things began to go awry. She hoped Severus wouldn't be too worried for her when she didn't wake up in the morning, however. It was clear to Luna that her concept of time would be majorly skewed, that was a fact in almost every dream she'd ever had.

"Wonderful of you to join me, Ms. Lovegood." An unfamiliar voice drawled. It was deep and she was almost certain she detected a light Russian accent. Not enough to skew his words or make them unintelligible, just enough to give away that English was not his first language.

She could feel the darkness rolling off of him in waves, unsettling. Her turn was slow, a tight motion that would have been reminiscent of a pirouette if both her feet had not been firmly planted on the ground. Silvery eyes met a pair of glowing red as she came face to face for the first time with the visage of Tom Riddle's son.

"I'm afraid I didn't have much choice." She sighed melodically and swayed gracefully around the dark sofa to settle herself on the cushion furthest from him. His eyes never left her and when she looked down she realized she was wearing a white gown that looked remarkably like the costume she'd worn to the Malfoy party. "How did you manage it, by the way?" She tipped her head curiously and a sly smile drifted across the young man's face.

She could sense it in him, the influence of Riddle's soul, tainting any goodness that lingered in him. It left him a cocky sort that stared at her with a haughty sort of arrogance. He sported deep, blood red eyes that seemed almost to glow and his father's porcelain complexion. He was a very attractive young man, fascinatingly perfect bone-structure that bordered just so between delicately feminine and strongly masculine. High cheekbones, aristocratic nose, delicate brow, soft swoops of perfectly unruly hair. He was lean she could tell even as he leant back in his seat and crossed one long leg over the other.

He reminded her of Severus in a way, his elegant movements and long limbs. He lacked the true grace that her future husband possessed however- she had the feeling it was stifled by age and lack of experience.

"I had a friend slip a potion into your drink. It was a complicated process, considering you spent the entirety of your evening with a Potions Master but we were successful in our venture, clearly. I need to speak with you, Seer." She furrowed her brow and gave a soft nod. She didn't feel as if she were in any immediate danger but at the same time she was hard pressed to trust someone who called her 'Seer' alone. She knew this was his way of assigning her no value as a person but instead he, just as his father had, viewed her as her gift. He would consider her a thing just as so many other Seers before her had been considered an object- something to be kept and used at the person's leisure.

"My name is Luna." She asserted calmly as her eyes wandered the room once more in her usual fashion. There were books lining every wall and the setting was one of warm familiarity. The furnishing were lush and richly colored and there was a soft rug on the floor beneath her bare feet. This was someone's library, or sitting room.

"Your reputation for being flighty proceeds you." Her head snapped back so her eyes could lock on the pale wizard and he smirked. The firelight caught a glint of his white teeth and she took another deep breath through her nose.

"What is it you want to speak with me about? And when will I wake up?" She cut to the point, uninterested in engaging the young man. His red eyes flashed and she felt her heartrate pick up. A spike of fear. It was rare she felt anything so intense on the dream scape and it made her all the more nervous. She was obviously not entirely in control of this dream.

She imagined Severus lying beside her in his bed, his arm hooked over her waist and his breath stirring her hair. She imagined his warmth and fiercely protective nature and smiled to herself. It soothed her fears just to know he was with her in body, even if he couldn't be with her in mind at the moment.

The idea came to her all at once, if she could reach out to him she may be able to draw him into the dream with her. He was after all a skilled legilimens. Her brow furrowed.

"What are you thinking, Seer?" That deep voice hissed and she turned her gaze back to him, not having realized her eyes had begun to wander in her thought process. An advantage of everyone thinking she was simply a flighty little girl with no real intelligence. As if her place in Ravenclaw was simply a fluke.

"I was wondering if Wrackspurts were about, you seem to be forgetting my name." She smiled airily and focused hard internally. Reaching out when one was in sleep was difficult but it was more easily achieved by Seers and those adept at certain forms of mental magic. She worried momentarily that his use of Occlumency would keep her from reaching him but she found his magical signature easily and smiled to herself.

Riddle III was saying something to her but she wasn't really listening to him and she could tell he was growing frustration. His frustration peeked when the familiar visage of Severus Snape was tugged into the room and he let out a low growl.

"What in the bloody hell is the meaning of this?" He all but snarled before Luna turned to face him and his eyes locked with hers. She smiled softly at him, the one who drew her there cursed under his breath.

"I should have known you would be up to something." His irritation made his accent thicken and Luna turned wide eyes to him as Severus rounded the sofa and immediately snatched her from her seat and wrapped her in his arms. His posture was defensive and his deep eyes were dark on the young man. "Sleeping with a Slytherin has obviously had its benefits for you." He hissed, Luna cocked an eyebrow and shrugged as well as she could with Severus' tall figure wrapped around her.

"Do not speak to her in this way. What is going on here?" His velvet voice demanded imperiously and Luna placed one of her smaller hands over his around her waist.

"He wanted to speak with me, I thought you would rather be here than find out what happened after the fact." Long slender fingers caressed her hip bone as he drew her back further, though she wasn't sure how it was possible.

"And what, pray tell, do you wish to talk about, Riddle?" His dangerous tone did not escape her notice and she snuggled back into him, comforted by his presence more so than she'd been by the thought of him.

"This was meant to be a private conversation, _Snape_." The young Riddle hissed, red eyes flashing again before he fixed his gaze on Luna. Her silvery eyes were wide and aware of every little tick of his face as he stared her down. "I will remember this."

"You had my father killed." Her own tone was dark as she stared him down and Severus pressed his lips to her temple. She could hear him take a deep breath of the scent of her hair, she knew he favored her hair down but it was hardly the time for her to be getting lost in him.

"You cannot prove it."

Her brow furrowed, "I don't need to, the Ministry is already after you."

"Ah, that brings us to the topic I wanted to discuss." He stood and she was unsurprised that he was just shy of Severus' height, towering. "I want you to stop helping them, _or there will be consequences._ "


	37. Chapter 36

∞ Thirty-Six ∞

"You're threats, while acknowledged will go unheeded." Severus sniped toward the younger man as he held Luna close to him. She smiled and gave a soft nod.

"I'm afraid I cannot simply stop helping in your discovery. I know you don't understand but this isn't who you truly are. This isn't your future." She barely managed to pry her body from Severus' and kneel in the floor, her wide, open silvery eyes were pleading as she stared into the crimson of the young man before her. "Do you want to know what your future holds? You are not your father, you are not Tom Riddle." She exhaled.

His eyebrows furrowed as he stared down at her. She could feel Severus' confused gaze on the back of her head but kept her gaze firmly ahead.

 _Please, let me show you._ She projected into his mind much to his surprise as Severus knelt down behind her, careful to stay close. She adored his protection, even knowing she did not require it. Still the comfort of his presence did something to soothe her and she appreciated it more than he could ever know. She would have to show him, if she ever woke up.

"Show me what?" He sneered and Luna shook her head, blonde locks flowed around her face and she stuck her hand back into her hair and pulled out her wand. The dream was becoming easier for her to manipulate the longer she remained inside.

"My little dreamer." Severus kissed the side of her head affectionately and watched as she pointed to the bare wall to their left. An image cast, like one of her paintings that moved quickly much like a muggle film.

There companion was there, with his normal colored eyes. He held a giggling girl in his arms, her own wrapped around his neck as she placed big, wet kisses against his cheek. There was a woman, a redhead with big bunchy curls and smiling brown eyes. She swung a little boy around in circles, his own red hair flying backwards and his eyes identical to those of his father. Luna smiled at the scene, one she'd seen when considering him many times.

"Don't you see, you have to fight him. Push him out, Ben. You are not Tom Riddle, you are not your father and you don't have to be. You could have the love that he never believed in." His eyes flashed for a moment before turning back to their disturbing red color.

Luna felt herself slump at the almost nonexistent change and pinched her eyes closed tightly. She cared too much, she was far too close to the situation and she only wanted to save him from a life of suffering. More than that however she wanted to save Severus, to save him from being forced to involve himself in yet another war.

She felt the prickle of tears at the edges of her eyes but forced them back. She was a strong witch. She'd survived the deaths of both of her parents, as well as the second wizarding war. She could survive Tom Benjamin Riddle III.

"You disgust me with all of this talk of love." The image shattered as if it were a mirror and fell crashing to the floor. Severus wrapped her up in his arms and shielded her from the young man's fury in a reflexive act that belied his time away from battle.

"Are you okay, love?" Severus pulled her face back from his chest and stared down into her eyes. She knew he could see every ounce of sadness there but she could do nothing to force it away as he stared down at her. She shook her head. "Let us leave this place, you have caused enough suffering this night." Severus stood, tall and looming over them both and Tom stood as well, as if he could match Snape's height.

He fell only slightly short but seemed dwarfed regardless under the sharp gaze of the elder wizard.

"I warn you, if you threaten her in any way," he stepped closer, his face mere inches from the younger man's. Riddle narrowed his eyes but said nothing as the elder wizard continued to speak, "I will not hesitate to use every resource in my considerable arsenal to bring you down. Innocent boy trapped with the soul of a madman or not. No one will ever lay so much as a finger on her ever again."

He spun in a dramatic twist of billowing black robes and came back to help Luna from the floor. She watched him, completely enraptured by his commanding tone as he held her close to him once more. It seemed to her he needed the comfort of proximity more than she.

"Be gone then." The room faded from them and both sat upright in Severus' bed.

"I love you." Luna reached over to crawl into her fiancé's lap. He grasped her around her waist immediately as she began to pepper little kisses all across his nose and cheeks. "You are the most amazing wizard…" She trailed, kissing his lips next and holding him there for several long moments before releasing him to pull back and stare into his face.

After they'd awoken from the dream Luna had pulled him in to Severus had coaxed her into going back to sleep and now they were officially and entirely awake. He couldn't describe his joy at the slight weight of her in his lap, the way her fingers twined through his hair that must have been grease slicked from sleep. It was naturally oily after all and no amount of washing would ever change that particular genetic predisposition.

Her deep breaths pressed her breasts against his chest and he sighed to himself before burying his fingers in her long, thick blonde hair. "I absolutely adore you, you know this." He smirked at her sweet smile and brought his lips to hers once more.

Playfully she nipped his bottom lip before working her way across his neck and down his bare chest. His mind seized inside him as she continued to inch her way further and further down his body until her cold little fingers were hooked in the waist band of his sleep pants.

Immediately he felt the stir in his groin and his fingers found purchase in her hair to pull her face up to look into his eyes.

"Luna..." His tone was pleading, though for what even he wasn't certain and she gave him a soft smile, her fingers wove through the trail of dark hair down his abdomen gently and his hold on her slackened. He could feel the stir in his groin when she eased the pants from his hips and down to his thighs to free his burgeoning erection.

She licked her lips and his head fell back with a groan. She was going to be the death of him.

Pressing on she lowered her mouth down and her wicked little red tongue flicked out to taste the drop of precum at the head of his cock. She moaned and he released a strangled groan as his hips pivoted upwards in an uncontrollable motion.

She blew and he saw stars to go right along with his little moon. She pressed her lips to him next it what was a foul mockery of a chaste kiss before taking his entire tip into the warm cavern of her mouth and making him groan his pleasure. Her slight fingers grasped his hips and she shifted to take more of him into her mouth and down her throat. Her legs straddled his and his hips rocked once more.

Suddenly there was an extreme application of suction and he gave a strangled cry at the sensation. His breathing coming ragged as she applied herself with interest to the task.

"My gods." His hips thrust once again and she almost choked on the length of him. She eased back some, applying that intense suction once more before pulling back and releasing him with an audible pop.

Her gaze was coy and her cheeks were flushed as she stared up at him from hooded lashes.

"Come here, you." He growled and tugged her up until she was against his chest. He rolled her then and with little effort pushed down her own sleep pants, she kicked them off the edge of the bed and he groaned when his cock found the warmth at the apex of her thighs.

Without penetrating the witch beneath him his length slipped between her labia and found the hot moisture there. He groaned, burying his face in her hair and thrust, rocking himself against her hardened clit and drawing deep moan from somewhere deep inside her.

She cried out and grasped him tightly as he rocked against her, the thick, hard flesh of his cock skimming across her needy clit faster and harder as he hovered over her. His eyes found hers, deep onyx locking with silver and he rocked against her once more, the friction caused her to cry out in completion, the orgasm rocking through her and leaving her panting. He pulled back, seed pouring from his body to coat her lower stomach and mons with its heat and she pulled him down one more time for a deep, languorous kiss.

"Circe, Merlin, and Nimue Severus, I love you." She panted, kissed the side of his head. His hand shot out to grasp his wand and cast a quick cleansing charm across her before he fell to her side and pulled her against his chest.

"I love you as well, my little moon."


	38. Chapter 37

∞ Thirty-Seven ∞

Severus woke with Luna curled in his arms, her nude body pressed against his as her breaths puffed evenly across his bare chest. He smirked to himself and took a deep breath of her sweetly scented hair. This was his bliss, and after so many years of being denied happiness he grabbed it- or her- and held on as tightly as possible.

He kissed the crown of her head and sighed to himself, they needed to be up and preparing for the day, instead he was allowing them to lay about in bed far too late. It was the downside to having the petite blonde in his arms, he never wanted to let her go.

"It is time my sweet, for our day to begin." He pressed his lips to the shell of her ear as he spoke and she gave a soft moan. Her body shifted in his arms, the silk of her skin drawing across his and causing him to stiffen. A controlled breath and he pressed his lips to her ear once more. "Come now, love, we mustn't dally."

Silvery eyes fluttered open as she rolled to look into his face. A sleepy, soft smile spread across her lips and he pressed his own to them softly before pulling back from her.

"Too cold…" She groaned and tried to press her body closer to his. A genuine chuckle broke from his chest as he moved back further and finally managed to pry himself from the bed. She pouted but sat up, her lack of modesty compelling him with all its might to draw him back into the bed. He fought the urge to return to her as she sat up exposed to his hungry eyes, instead he closed them and took another several deep breaths in an attempt to stave off the return of his passions.

"Merlin girl, you will be the death of me," he grumbled more to himself than to her as he took long strides from the room and toward his shower.

He didn't realize he'd been followed until one small foot had poked its way into his shower followed by a petite body.

"Good morning," she grinned up at him as he turned to face her, water cascading down his bare back and splashing her from over his shoulders. "I'd much rather shower with you than alone."

"I'm afraid I'll not get any showering done at all should I allow you to stay," he grumbled, Luna gave a melodious laugh.

"Don't be silly," she pressed his shoulder to convince him to turn and he groaned his assent when her fingers worked from his neck up into his hair. Massaging his scalp with one hand and then the other he felt the suds and slickness of shampoo as she worked it through his long black locks. He felt his knees would buckle at her ministrations for a moment and glanced down to see she stood on the tips of her toes to reach the top of his head.

Instead of fighting her further he simply lowered himself to his knees and allowed the water to cascade over them both as she worked her slender little artists fingers through his hair. He sighed and lay his head back against her stomach when she'd finished.

She ran her hands down his shoulders to his chest and bent to lay a sweet kiss to the top of his head, breaking him from his haze. Severus resumed his standing position and turned to the witch, intent to return the favor.

Severus attributed the good mood of his day to the shower he'd shared with Luna and marveled at the way something so simple could change his mood so thoroughly. Of course, his students were none the wiser. He was still cold, stern, and took away house points at the drop of a quill.

It was a day that lacked the presence of his little helper and he found himself seeking her out across the great hall at lunch. When he didn't find her there he tried not to allow himself to grow concerned. He knew she often took her lunch elsewhere or passed on it all-together, likely there was a very good reason she wasn't there.

When she wasn't at dinner he felt the first tendrils of panic beginning to crawl their way up from his stomach into his chest. He worried for her, of course he did. She was his love, his companion, the one good thing he truly felt he had in the world and he would have done anything to keep her safe.

After his meal in the great hall he made his way quickly to his chambers, hope that she would be there taunting him. He groaned when she was nowhere to be found and made his way to his own private room she'd constructed for him.

He hit his knees in relief when he found her there, asleep in his favorite chair with one of his blankets wrapped around her up to her chin. "Merlin girl, you will be the death of me."

He stroked her hair back from her face when he made it to her side and her eyes fluttered open. She gave him a dreamy smile that was quickly overcome by a concerned look at the last traces of his panic.

"What's wrong?" Her voice was heavy with sleep but she didn't struggle as he gathered her into his arms and pressed his face into her soft blonde hair.

"I was concerned when you did not arrive in the great hall for dinner. You were not in my chambers," he stopped when her fingers began to work through his hair. She turned her face so her lips were pressed against his and kissed him hard.

"I didn't mean to worry you Severus. I'm very sorry, that dream exhausted me and it is taking some time for me to recover. I thought I would come here and sleep and you would be able to find me without having to worry for my safety. No one knows about this room but us," he pulled back to look her in the eye and gave a soft nod.

"I will attempt not to lose myself so quickly next time. You must realize my sweet, I do not think I could go on without you now. Not after knowing your love," she pressed her lips to his again and then lay her forehead against his. Severus couldn't help but to close his eyes and revel in the feeling of her warmth surrounding him.

He'd truly been afraid he'd lost it, and her. He hadn't favored the sensation at all.

The shimmer of a large Patronus soaring into the room broke the two apart and they both stared at the large snake that moved in the air before them.

"Harry says they've found Riddle, thought you'd like to know." Draco's voice met their ears and Luna turned her wide eyes to Severus as he stared at the space the Patronus had occupied.

"Go, take care of this so you can worry no more," she gave him a soft smile, he stared at her for a long moment.

"You're certain?" her nod of confirmation spurred him to stand and he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "I cannot wait to make you my own."

She shook her head, blonde hair swaying around her face as she stared up at him with earnest silver eyes. "I've been yours since the beginning of time. Go, I will be here napping, I promise."


	39. Chapter 38

∞ Thirty-Eight ∞

Severus lay with his head in Luna's lap. She was carding her fingers through his hair sweetly while he grumbled and snarled about the escape of Riddle's demon spawn. She laughed as he came up with several creative names to call the young man before he settled into silence.

"Severus, do you think they'll catch him, with his sire pulling the strings?" her voice was quiet but that wasn't what startled him. It was the question itself. He'd come to think of her as all-knowing, omniscient in a way that even Dumbledore had not been and such a question from her lips was a surprise. He was so accustomed to her having the answers, had she turned to him yet for the answer to any such question?

He couldn't recall if she had, and that spoke volumes of how rare the situation must be.

"Oh, my sweet one, I'm certain he will be found and caught, one way or the other. He may be a slippery sort of snake but his sire was defeated before. He can be defeated again," he made certain to push a tone of finality. His desire was to reassure as much as tell her the truth as he saw it.

Her fingers slipped from his hair as he sat up and pulled the petite blonde into his arms. She was soft against him, and cool to the touch. He worried for her, always worried for her. Considering the boy had slipped through their fingertips once more was a cause of much irritation for him, but with her there he couldn't focus on that.

"Has he activated the mark again?" she questioned, her silvery eyes wide as she stared up at him and he shook his head softly. Long, slender fingers brushed the hair back from her face and caught on the back of her neck in a delicate grip.

"No, love. I believe, we believe, he is aware that his call summons those of us who were not truly on the Dark Lord's side. It would be too simple for him to bring us to his location with aurors on our heels," she nodded and wet her lips thoughtfully. It was an unfamiliar action and he wondered just what was going through her lovely, mad little head.

"Have a bath with me?" the question was so random he cocked an eyebrow at the petite witch in his arms and tilted his head. Raven hair fell across his cheek and she reached up to brush it back for him, a soft smile on her face. "I don't want to be apart from you."

He took this explanation at face value, his moon, she wasn't prone to lying at all. A nod and he slipped from beneath her, leaving her in the bed as he stood. "Stay here, I will return."

Bare feet padded across cold stone floors as he slipped into his washroom and stared at his bath with an appraising eye. A few 'fancy waves' of his wand expanded the tub to a comfortable size and he had turned on the water, warm to her preference. Fluffs of silvery blue bubbles began to sprout across the surface of the water as he poured her favorite scent, chrysanthemum of all things, into the bath water. It was a fresh, flowery smell that filled the entire washroom and he returned to find her staring at the doorway from the bed.

She didn't fight him when he scooped her from the soft surface, she only hooked her arms around his neck and lay her head against his chest. She was soft molded against him and a sigh broke her lips when he settled her on the soft bathmat before the tub. Fingers tugged her shirt up from the bottom and she raised her arms so the fabric could be pulled away, leaving her torso exposed to his hungry eyes.

He couldn't stop the impulse to press soft kisses to her shoulder and collarbone as he hooked his fingers in her shorts and pulled those and her knickers from her hips in one smooth motion. Divested of clothing she brought her hands up to help him undress but he was having none of that. Something was concerning his little moon, this was for her, not him.

He vanished the clothing to the bedroom with a muttered spell and she stared at his bare chest with an awed smile on her full lips. Full lips that pressed to his own chest, trailing across his pectoral muscles before he caught her by the shoulders and pushed her back to arm's length.

"I love you, my Luna," it was easy to dip to kiss her. He was unsurprised when her fingers hooked into his hair and she pressed her body firm against his. Breaking the kiss before things could get too far was a difficult task but he achieved it before leading her to the bath by her hand. He stepped in first and settled into the warm water before watching as she followed.

Slipped between his legs with her back against his chest and soft blonde locks floating on the water around them she took a deep breath and he could feel the tension flow from her. "I'm afraid next time you leave you will not come back to me for a long time."

The words struck a chord in him and his brow furrowed. Fingers trailed her slender neck and caught her chin, tipping her head back so that he could look down into her eyes.

"What do you mean?" his voice certainly didn't crack.

"There are two dreams, two paths, it all depends on Riddle. You'll go after him again, and you will either come back to me in a fortnight, or you will be gone from me for an indeterminant amount of time. I haven't been able to see which is the path that will be taken because he's not made the decision that causes the split, or perhaps you haven't," she closed her eyes and he could see the worry furrow her brow. He smoothed a finger across the surface before pressing a kiss to her hairline.

"I will always come back to you, and I cannot be gone for so long, Minerva would sooner hang me from the astronomy tower than allow my absence for so long. No matter how wonderful a teacher you've become," he felt the shudder of her breath and the tense of her shoulders.

"You can't die, you can't leave me forever, I can't lose you Severus," he wrapped his arms around her from behind and pulled her closer still, though he wasn't sure how it was possible.

"I'm not going anywhere, little sweet, I swear it, I will always come back to you," her head tipped to the side, turning her eyes from him.

"And if you don't?" He shook his head, nonsense, he would always return to her.


	40. Chapter 39

Thirty-Nine

"Bond with me before you leave," her voice was so soft he might not have heard it if not for the silence of the room. Severus sat up, his eyes trailing to the young woman sitting on the edge of his bed. Her back was to him and he could see she was fidgeting with the ring he'd given her from over her shoulder.

He drew a hand down her incredibly long blonde hair that pooled behind her on the bed. He was concerned beyond reason as he pulled himself to the edge of his bed and watched her staring at the ring.

"You know something I don't," it wasn't a question, he knew, deep down inside. She knew something was going to happen, something that he didn't know.

Luna, his Luna turned and looked into his eyes with silvery orbs brimming with tears. "Oh love," he grasped her and tugged her into his chest, her tears were cool against his bare chest and he stroked a hand down her back gently. She'd only cried a handful of times in her life, and the only time he'd ever seen had been when her father had died.

She'd finally moved on from such a huge loss only to find herself worrying over something more. Something she wasn't telling him.

"Luna, my sweet one, my little moon," he cooed, murmuring nonsensical words, soothing, cradling the witch to his chest and rocking her softly. When she finally ceased her soft cries she pulled back and pulled her hand up in between them.

"I can't explain it, Sev, but we need to bond, before you go. It cannot wait, everything will change." He nodded softly and pressed his lips to the top of her head.

"I detest the idea of leaving you alone quickly after our union, love."

"It doesn't matter if you're gone for an eternity after we've bonded, my friends will help me keep up with you, but we must do this before you go," she paused, staring up at him, her gaze was unwavering. His strong little moon, she was certainly something else. "If we do not you will never come back to me."

"And who will bond us, love? If you wish for it to be it will be. I will make it so, we will not be able to have nearly the ceremony you might've hoped for."

"I want Harry, and Draco, Hermione, and Ginny, Neville, and Blaze. They are the only ones I need there, please, please Severus." She was holding his face now between trembling hands and he pressed his face down to hers.

Capturing her lips in a gentle kiss his worked his lips over hers for a long moment before deepening the kiss and pulling a soft moan from the witch's lips. As her tongue wove and mingled with his he groaned and pulled away, his eyes snapping open just as hers fluttered open softly.

"We will be bonded tomorrow, if it is what you desire, I will never deny you anything, love."

"Oh you cannot know how much your trust means to me!" She flung her arms around his neck, knocking him back onto the bed as her lips began to plant kiss after wild kiss over his face. Her soft blonde hair tickled his face and chest as she covered him in innumerable kisses.

Chuckling he pushed her off and stroked the hair back from her face, his eyes lingering on her soft lips.

"You must sleep if you are to become a Snape tomorrow." She grinned at him and shifted so that she was beside him. The couple turned, shifted, and moved until they were in a comfortable position, his body spooned around hers.

It wasn't ten minutes before the witch was asleep in his arms and he pressed a soft kiss to the back of her head. Whatever it was she sensed, or had seen, he would do everything in his power to avoid it.

 _SSLL_

Severus stared at Luna standing across from him. She wore a simple white gown, elven silk that he'd been most insistent on despite her assurances she was losing nothing in their small bonding ceremony.

Her hair was pulled back low on her head, a braid that lost wisps of hair as it flowed down her back and a crown of flowers atop her head. There were small white daisies decorating her braid and she stood in her bare feet on the cool ground.

She smiled up at him, one of the purest smiles he'd ever born witness to. Granger and Weasley stood behind her, holding hands and smiling at him like the little fools he knew them to be. His godson and Potter-Malfoy were standing behind him, lending him their magical support as Granger and Weasley did for his bond mate.

"While this is sudden I cannot think of a better setting for such a beautiful and lucky pair to be joining their souls and their magics," it was Sybil performing the rites, surprisingly enough. Apparently, the witch had more respect for Luna than she had obsession with Severus and that suited him well and fine. She'd sworn and oath she'd not do anything to harm their union or ceremony. "For such a pure soul to join another is a momentous occasion, please, if you would clasp your wand arms together."

He reached out, pressing his fingers into the bend of her elbow while her fingers pressed into the warmed skin where his frockcoat sleeve would typically reside. He wore his typical attire, he'd simply split his sleeve for this part of the ceremony.

Luna had encouraged him, and he'd appreciated her all the more for it.

Severus didn't hear the words said as the magical ribbon wove its way around their joined arms. He didn't hear anything aside from the thump of his heart as it joined the thump of his little moon's while she stared up into his eyes.

She was all he could see, the flare of magic barely catching his attention from the corner of his eye as the ceremony ended. Luna was drawn into him, into his arms and he draped his heavy cloak around her as his brought his lips down hers. His hair fell across their faces, shielding their most intimate of kisses from view as he took his new bondmate's lips in his own.

She was his, their magic, their souls, their lives were inextricably bound.

Suddenly as if he was leaving a room the area around him erupted with sound and he realized it was the congratulations of his fellow professors and her friends who had come to stand with them.

He blinked a few times, staring down into his beautiful love's glowing silver eyes and smiled a genuine smile.

"My moon, you are mine forever now." He pressed his lips to hers one more time. Her face was flushed and she was so very pretty to him that soft shade of pink.

"For the rest of our days."

"Ah, but there is still the consummation to see to." He breathed into her ear as she turned to thank Granger. He heard her soft exhale of excitement and smirked to himself.

He finally had her in spirit, in magic, now he would have her in body as well.


	41. Chapter 40

Severus stared down at her, his Luna, his little moon. His spouse for now and forever.

Bonded.

He, Severus Snape, hated potions master and bat of the dungeons was bonded. What's more his bond was not to a kook like Trelawney, or a hag like Irma. No! His bonded mate was a beautiful young woman.

And she was beautiful, she seemed to glow in her flowing gown, her hair still filled with flowers. The firelight kissed her skin flatteringly and her silvery eyes gazed up at him. Filled with love, she was so filled with love for him that it flowed over and filled him as well.

"This is mine." He whispered, his utterance the softest he'd ever emitted. "Merlin, my sweet moon." She smiled sweetly up at him, her dreamy eyes burned through him as he approached her, wrapped her in his arms.

She was soft, so soft, and the smell that wafted from her- wild flowers- was absolutely intoxicating. He pressed his lips to her forehead. One to her eyelid, and then the other, to her cheeks, the tip of her nose, the corner of her mouth. She turned and caught his lips with hers, smiling into their kiss as he swept her up and into his arms.

He would finally have her, in body as much as spirit.

"Severus…" She breathed, a moan into his mouth as he deepened their kiss and lay her on the bed. His eyes trailed her softly sheathed figure for a moment before the dress vanished.

He almost choked on a gasp to find that beneath she wore nothing. Her beautiful body was completely exposed to his eyes and he drank her in. Her pale breasts glinting in the firelight, topped with a cherry nipple each.

"Gods I don't deserve this." His voice was husky and her eyes snapped open to lock onto his. He couldn't have looked away if he wanted to.

"Don't say that," her melodic voice floated up to him and he felt his breath catch, "you deserve everything."

He couldn't stop his instant reaction to her, climbing up her body and pressing down on her as he kissed her lips roughly. Her moans spurred him forward, her slender little artist's fingers dug into his hair and made him groan into her welcoming mouth. Their tongues danced and twirled about as he pressed his body down onto hers, careful not to apply too much weight.

She pulled back to look into his eyes and before he realized what she was doing she'd uttered a spell and he was divested of his own clothing. Both moaned at the contact of skin to skin.

"Yes, oh Severus, I've waited so long to be yours, lifetimes…" She breathed into his ear and he moved to kiss slowly down the slender column of her throat. Her head pressed back into the mattress as his lips worked across her heated flesh. A hand came up to tug her hair free of its bonds, his fingers immediately working away the braid and freeing flowers to fall beneath her and around her on the bed.

When he pulled up to look at her again she was an angel, a goddess, his moon goddess. Swept with firelight and breathing heavily, her lips thick and pink from harsh kisses and her eyes heavy lidded, the flowers around her on the bed, bright white against deep jet sheets made her look as though she were an apparition that did not belong in his bed.

She did though, she belonged in his bed, with him, forever.

"Mine, you're mine forever." He growled out, pressing down to kiss her again as a hand trailed her slim abdomen to find the apex of her thighs. Soft blonde curls met his fingers and he groaned as one long finger slipped between her moist folds. She hissed as that finger came into contact with her clit and rocked her hips against him.

"Won't you take me Severus? Please, I need you." Her innocent eyes were so wide, her voice so soft it actually gave him pause and he stared down at her. His long black hair had created a curtain around their faces and he pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

"You have me, always." Her legs came up around his hips and he pressed forward, his throbbing member finding the warmth it so craved as he pressed forward gently. She didn't whine, only lay there welcoming him into her body and when he was buried deep inside her he opened his eyes to find she was staring up at his face. Her eyes sparkled wonder.

"You are the most beautiful man." She whispered softly, her small hand coming up to cup his cheek and he turned his face into the touch.

"Are you comfortable?" He finally managed after a few moments and her response was to rock her hips and give a low moan of pleasure.

He'd never witnessed anything so entirely erotic in his life as his petite bride rolling herself along him and he had to talk himself down from spending far too quickly. "Again, Luna, again." She stared into his eyes as she gave in to his request, rolling her hips again, her eyes rolled back and closed, a breathy moan escaped her lips.

"Gods you are magnificent." He growled out, his hand came up to grasp the side of her face and she pulled his thumb between her lips, laving it with that brilliant pink tongue as he began to rock his pelvis against hers. He hissed his pleasure when she bit down gently on the pad of his thumb.

Her eyes flashed open and she stared deeply into him as he rocked his hips into hers more insistently.

"Harder, Severus, harder!" She demanded and rocked her body up to meet his. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, seeking purchase, as her thighs clenched around his and her hips rocked up to meet his harsh strokes.

"Yes, yes, yes, ah!" Her walls clenched around him and he couldn't hold back any longer, he came with a roar of pleasure, buried deep in the body of his little bride. She grasped him around his back when he lay against her chest, her fingers dug into the muscles of his back in a move that should not have been as comforting as it was.

He blearily hoped his seed would take hold, give him those beautiful children she'd shown him so many times. "I love you, my sweet moon."

She pressed a kiss to the side of his head and he could feel her smile against his hair.

"I love you too, Severus." He fell asleep pressed against her, basking in her love.

 _SSLL_

He woke alone and panicked for the briefest of moments before he heard a familiar humming coming from the loo. His body immediately relaxed and his eyes closed as he stayed comfortably in the bed. He heard the door close, the shift of the bed as she eased her body back into the space beside his.

She pressed her lips to his gently and his eyes opened lazily.

"Good morning." Her breath ghosted across his lips and he pressed up to catch them once more, a soft kiss, their lips moved together in time. He caught his fingers in her hair to hold her to him as he deepened the kiss before backing off and pulling back.

"It certainly is." She giggled and shook her head softly, his hand slipped through her soft locks and to the bed beside him. "We have, at the least, a few days before we must return to our usual duties. Is there anything you wish to do, sweet moon?"

The witch shook her head again and gave him a soft smile, her eyes staring off for a second before coming back to him.

"No, I am perfectly content to simply be with you." His heart warmed at this declaration and he sat up to pull her against him. She squirmed to situate herself in his lap and he groaned when her hip skimmed his exposed cock.

It twitched its interest and she looked up at him with a cheeky smile.

"Did I do that?" He growled and flipped the blonde witch onto her back swiftly, eliciting a wild giggle as her hair flew around them.

"I think you are perfectly aware of the effect you have on me, little moon."

Her tongue situated itself between her lips as she stared up at him. Her hips rocked against his and his awakening cock skimmed her warmth.

"Vixen."

"You make me want to be." He pressed his lips to hers and in one smooth motion seated himself deep inside his flushed bride.

"I wish to hear those beautiful moans once again." He hissed into her ear as he rocked against her, a hand coming between them to caress her rapidly swelling clit. She moaned loud, a sound that drew a smirk to his face. "Let me hear how much you enjoy our marriage bed, little one." He nipped her ear and she moaned again, louder this time.

A groan forced its way from his lips. She was not the only one who enjoyed their marriage bed.


	42. Chapter 41

Forty-One

Luna sat with her legs pulled up to her chest. There was a scattering of crystals in front of her, each positioned just so as she stared down at them with a sharp gaze. A soft chant flowed from her lips as her hands worked over the crystals, each lighting a different color as her fingers flowed over them.

Each represented a person in her life, each was stationed closest to those they spent the most time with. Severus was near her, but positioned just so he was near Harry and Draco as well. Neville was with Blaise, Hermione with Ginny. McGonagall was nearest Madame Pomfrey and there were a few others that spread out before her.

Her chant grew in volume level, though it was still incredibly quiet.

An outpouring of magic flowed from her fingers and like a mist settled into the crystals and she sat back with her eyes closed. It was all she could do for them.

Bad things were coming, incredibly bad things.

She'd had a vision the night before. Only an evening after her husband had left her and she knew it wasn't a good sign. Still, with his life tied to hers, the completion of at least one time line meant that he would be safe in most of his ventures.

There were still a few poor decisions he could make that would threaten his life but she'd done all she could.

She lay back against the pillows behind her and closed her eyes for a long moment. Her hand settled atop her lower stomach and a smile played at her lips. They were there, they were safe and they would be okay. Their very existence had been threatened by the young Riddle but now it was set. Everything would be okay. She had to believe it because it was the only way she could pry herself from her bed every morning.

She yawned and shook her head. She needed to study for N.E.W.T.s, Severus would be sore with her if she didn't pass them after her fighting him to bond with her early.

Thinking for a moment she sighed and kicked her legs over the side of their bed. She would go feed the thestrals first, and then she would come back and study.

Her gaze flitted to the crystals on the bed once again. They would need to sit like that, undisturbed for several hours before they could be put away. She watched them glow, brightening and dimming as decisions were made and paths changed.

She'd done all she could.

 _SSLL_

Severus groaned as he stared down at the papers in front of him. They were blurring before his eyes and he knew he needed to lay down and at least attempt to sleep. It wasn't so easy as all of that though, not when he wanted nothing more than to figure all of this out and get back to his moon. He wanted to be home, home with Luna and away from all of this stress.

Why did he always put himself in these situations? Wasn't saving the fate of the wizarding world once enough?

No. Not with his wife in the world, not with the prospect of children dancing before his eyes. He wanted them to come into a safe world, a safe world where nothing would happen to them.

And then there was Xenophilius' untimely death. His wife was not a woman to attempt to avenge such an unbelievably terrible death but he would. He would do it for her, for all of the people who were threatened by this new possible uprising.

Staring down at the papers once more he massaged the bridge of his nose and slumped back in his seat.

She would be cross with him if he didn't get rest, and he knew that somehow she would know. Just as she somehow knew everything that seemed to happen or would happen. He'd be caught out and he'd have to look into her sad silvery eyes and it would make him feel even worse when she was understanding about his position and… He stood up and made his way to the small cot he was calling a bed.

As he drifted to sleep only thoughts of his little bride filled his mind. Her face filling his mind's eye.

 _SSLL_

"Severus! Wake up!" He woke to a pounding on his door and glanced out the window. It was still dark out and he knew he must not have slept long. Groaning he pulled himself from his bed and stalked to the door tiredly. The beating continued until the door was pulled open and Draco stood on the other side, fist up, ready to knock once more.

"What in Merlin's name is it at such an ungodly hour, Draco?" Severus growled. When his eyes finally adjusted to the light he realized that his godson was flushed and his hair was ruffled- very un-Malfoy of the boy.

"It's Luna, Severus, they're going after Luna." He panted, a jolt of panic shot straight through his chest.

"When?" The younger man only stared at him and Severus groaned and nudged him aside. "I'm going back to Hogwarts, I will owl when I have my wife at my side once more." He growled before disappearing with a loud crack.

Draco stared at the place where his godfather had once stood. He hoped Severus made it in time to look after his spouse.


	43. Chapter 42

Forty-Two

Severus, on his best days was like a wraith stalking through the school. Black robes sweeping behind him and all dark, angry power.

Today however was not one of his best days. In fact, if one were to ask him he would consider this day at the very top of his list of bad days. Upon arriving at Hogwarts grounds, he had first checked with the Thestrals for Luna, she was not there, and so he made his way to Hagrid's hut.

Hagrid had not seen the witch all day but promised to alert him should he stumble upon her in the woods at any point in the day.

Now he was billowing his way through the school, panic bubbling in his chest, looking for his wife. He swore to himself if anything happened to her he would end the perpetrator, and anyone else who stood in the way of her safety.

Slamming open the door to their chambers he found it- not surprisingly- very empty. There were crystals on the bed, each glowing and fading. He was not familiar with their purpose but he did recognize the names carved into each stone. He quickly found the one that signified Luna and watched as it glowed, he could see what appeared to be two smaller, brighter glowing spots inside and cocked an eyebrow before turning and striding from the room.

She'd been there recently, he could still smell her sweet scent of flowers and she would never have left something that appeared to be so important as her crystals out without intent to return. There didn't appear to be signs of a struggle and this comforted him a little.

Not much, but a little.

He took the stairs to the room she and the castle had fashioned for him two at a time and was immediately disappointed to find that she was nowhere to be found there either.

His stomach was twisting and rolling, anxiety consuming him.

Gods he should have stayed with her, he never should have left her alone.

A flash of suspiciously bright light caught his eye from the window of his room and he immediately moved to look out, to see what other trouble could possibly be brewing.

To his absolute surprise, and relief, it was Luna. She was outside, on the large expanse of lawn between the castle and Quidditch pitch. Her wand was presented in front of her and she was dueling, his heart leapt into his throat and he knew he needed to move. There was no time for hesitation, there was no time to run through the castle to get to her.

Flinging the window open he immediately leapt out and utilized the broom-less flight he'd promised himself he would never use again to join her as quickly as possible.

Her eyes were not distracted by his arrival at her side, instead she remained focused on the two men standing in front of her, her wand pointed at both.

"It would appear we've come at a bad time." The larger of the two spoke and Severus sneered at both.

"I am afraid there will never be a good time to come near my wife." He snarled and Luna shifted her gaze to him as his wand was trained on the two men. He could see her smile up at him from the corner of his eye but remained focused on the two before him.

"We'll be back, when you least expect it." The other threatened, he sounded as if he meant to be menacing but Severus had run with Death Eaters his entire life. These newly inducted dunderheads were no match for his level of knowledge.

"It seems to me that there would be a necessity to leave, before one could return." Severus cocked an eyebrow as he threw a rather violent incarcerous at one of the men. In the same instant, almost as if she was fluidly attuned to his dueling style Luna cast her own incarcerous at the other and both fell to the ground in a writhing heap of robes and bonds.

Turning to his wife he immediately wrapped her in a desperate embrace, his entire form closing over her so that no part of her was visible to the world outside.

"I thought I would lose you, you were not there, not with the Thestrals, not in our chambers…" He was breathing heavily as he spoke. Small hands crept from between them to cup his face as the witch pulled back enough to look up into his eyes. His incredibly dark grey and her silvery iris met and he was immediately entranced by the intense look on her face.

"I am not going anywhere, Severus." She pressed up to place a gentle kiss on his lips and he wanted so much more. He wanted to take her to the castle and hide her away forever, where she would be safe. "We need to have these two retrieved and Minerva must know about yet another weakness in our defenses. When you are done I will be in our chambers, come find me okay?" He nodded, distractedly and she pressed up to kiss him again before taking off in the opposite direction, leaving him standing there staring after her.

"You are lucky she was, and well when I arrived, I am afraid you would not have been so fortunate had something happened to her." He growled when he turned, kicking first the larger and then the smaller in the stomach with a thick dragon hide boot. "Lucky indeed."

 _SSLL_

Luna was more than aware that Severus needed something to bright his mood in this time of darkness for him. It was an easy task to make her way back to their chambers and clean up the crystals that occupied their bed.

She then set to work creating a series of portraits in which they stood together. In each her stomach grew progressively larger until they ended with the couple standing, each holding a twin in their arms.

She felt more than saw when he entered their chambers and she quickly scrambled up into the bed and watched him enter with a smile on her face. He looked tired, haggard from time spent attempting to figure out an enemy that none of them could really understand.

She wanted more than anything to be able to help them further, to give them some clue as to how to end the threat that was Voldemort once and for all. Her mind raced through possibilities and just as Severus was looking at her carefully constructed portraits the world around her changed.

She felt her body lock up and fall back on the bed, she could hear, distantly, Severus calling her name but there was nothing else there. She tried to look around but her body would not comply. Her eyes closed in an attempt to embrace whatever was happening, the vision, whatever it was.

"To push him beyond the veil his son must reject him, his heritage, his entire being. Show him, show him what the world could become, show him the world his father desired." A soft feminine voice spoke in her ear and Luna shot up from her position with a gasp.

Severus was holding her arms, staring down at her with a look of pure agony on his face.

Sheepishly she lowered her face and gave him a soft smile.

"Would you like the good news or the better news first?" Dark eyes narrowed as he stared down at her and she pulled her lips into her mouth shyly.

"I suppose the good news first, and then the better." He grunted, Luna smiled at him and gave a soft nod.

"The good news is I know how to take care of the Riddle problem, but you will have to let me see him." He pursed his lips at this but did not argue.

"And I suppose those have something to do with the better news?" He cocked an eyebrow and motioned to her portraits.

"Yes, the better news- I'm pregnant." His face paled and his eyes went wide. Luna barely had a chance to squeal a laugh as she was knocked back into their mattress and lips were planted firmly on hers.

"Truly?" He pulled back to gasp and she gave another rapid nod, her hair balling beneath her on the pillow.

"Truly." She got out just before his lips were upon hers again, enthusiastic and dominating.


	44. Chapter 43

Forty-Three

"Just to be clear on this process once more, Severus will administer a potion that will effectively block Voldemort from accessing his son's mind for a time. Luna will then join Jr. and somehow show him what a world ruled by Voldemort would look like?" Draco cocked an eyebrow, looking entirely disbelieving. Harry nodded beside his spouse and watched the two across from them.

"Essentially yes, I believe I was contacted by his mother." Luna confirmed and both watched her warily.

"We've been questioning him for days with no result, how could this possibly work?" It was Harry's turn to question and Luna gave him a sharp look.

"You would really doubt this now, Harry Potter? After everything you've been through?" Her melodic voice was whimsical and curious and softer than Severus might have thought the boy deserved but he wrapped and arm around her shoulders none the less.

"It would seem my wife has more faith in you than you are willing to afford her. This potion will work, it has been shown to work in cases of multiple personalities and has been used as a maintenance in those cases. I am beyond certain this is the correct method for avoiding an outcome that none of us desire." Severus spoke up this time, his gaze dark on the two younger wizards. Both nodded somewhat hesitantly, still, they knew that Severus had far more experience in such matters and trusted he would steer them in the right direction.

 _SSLL_

"You will pay for this insolence Severus!" The voice that growled from the body of the eighteen year old was not his own but one Severus was very familiar with. "You should have died in the shack! You are a worthless wizard! How dare you betray your ma…" The voice was cut off by a quick spell flung in his direction and Severus turned his eyes back to find Luna staring intensely at the young Riddle.

She shrugged when she caught his gaze and gave him a serene smile. "No reason to listen to the nonsense he has to say."

Severus' heart lifted, as if often did when he spent any amount of time with Luna, she was a bright spot in an otherwise dark life. She complimented him, she cared for him, and she had avoided what could have been a major self destruct on his part had he continued to listen to the words of the former Dark Lord.

They were words he'd often thought about himself, after all.

A small smile played at his lips and he nodded before he turned back to the silenced form, prying his mouth open was a simple task. For all the power Voldemort had possessed in his own body, his son's was not capable of his level of magic. The potion was easily forced into the boy who finally slumped into the seat upon its consumption.

It took but a few moments before his eyes fluttered open and he looked around the room. He was confused for a moment before blinking a few times and seeming to come to a realization.

"It isn't a dream then?" His voice was hoarse, as if he'd been screaming for some time and Severus shook his head softly as Luna came up to stand at his side. She placed a gentle hand on the side of the bound boy's face and looked him directly in the eyes.

"It isn't a dream, your biological father was a wicked, evil wizard who plans to take over your body to enact the evil he failed in his own life upon the world." He tipped his head at her soft words. Her voice seemed to do to him what it had always successfully achieved with Severus, it was a soothing effect that he would have denied until the day he died if he had not experienced it himself on multiple occasions.

He couldn't wait to listen to her speaking to their children, to hear her sing, and coo to them. His heart fluttered in his chest as he hooked an arm around her shoulders once more while she stared into the boy's eyes.

"You need to fight him, you are strong enough, I know you are. If I show you what the world will be like I think it will help you. You must know, this won't be pleasant, he is going to fight us both every step of the way." Luna smoothed a floppy black lock from his face and he gave a soft nod.

"I never wanted any of this to happen, you have to know that." Luna smiled at him sweetly and stepped back a few paces.

"I think the best way to move on from here is in a sleep state, as we were when we met with him in the dream, Severus?" She turned to him, as if asking his permission and he gave a sharp nod. "I can mimic the spell but we will need to be quick." Her hand moved to his chest as she stared up at him. "And you must remain out here."

"I don't think that is wise." He sounded gruff to his own ears and she shook her head.

"I need you to monitor my body, the babies, one of us needs to be aware." She cocked a prim little eyebrow at him and he scowled but knew he would concede.

"You will remove yourself at once should any threat arise."

"You will learn someday that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, won't you?" Her words held no bite and she was giving him the same look she gave him every time they had this conversation. He surprised all of them by giving a low chuckle.

"I believe that you may prove it to me, some day."

"Can we get this over with, please?" Riddle spoke now and both sets of eyes turned to him. Severus tried to keep his irritation from his tone when he spoke again.

"I suppose we shouldn't keep his highness waiting." Riddle flinched, Severus smirked, Luna sighed.


	45. Chapter 44

Forty-Four

Severus lay in the makeshift bed beside his wife. His hand rested atop her stomach and he wished for a fleeting moment that his children were large enough to be felt rolling and moving about inside. Instead he could only listen to their heartbeats with an amplification spell and watch as Luna's eyes twitched behind her eyelids.

She truly was a magnificent woman, he couldn't believe he'd ever thought of her as Loony Lovegood as his students had. Though that would no longer be. Now she was Luna Snape and should they have something to say they would be forced to say it behind her back or face him.

He high doubted they would desire a detention. Not that she would be a student for much longer at any rate. She would be taking her N.E.W.T.s soon. She had decided not to follow her original plan and study creatures but to instead take over her father's place running the Quibbler. It had been a difficult decision but one he was sure she wouldn't regret.

Her eyes fluttered and her body jarred slightly, making his own worry spike but she settled rather quickly and he gave a breath of relief.

"I love you." He whispered into her ear as he lay beside her, listening to the heartbeats of their children and awaiting her return.

 _SSLL_

"It hurts…" The boy groaned, Luna held his hands tighter and tried to help coach his breathing.

"I know, I know. You need to push him out, deny him access to your body. It's your body, not his." She squeezed his hands, he squeezed back.

His eyes closed in concentration and she fought to push her own strength and magical ability toward him. She wanted to help him, she wanted him to be well and grow and prove that being a member of his accursed family did not mean he had to be evil.

He was the chosen one in this case, not Harry, not Severus, they were only catalysts to the end. This young man was the only one who could save their world and she knew it as well as she knew that she would give birth to twins who so resembled Severus that they would forever hold her heart.

The idea of her children growing in a world without love, without equality, no matter their own blood status forced a warm tingling sensation through her fingers and out. Riddle absorbed the power and his eyes opened, glowing a bright, pure white before their surroundings were consumed by that same white and Luna ceased to see, or feel, or hear at all.

 _SSLL_

Severus felt sick as he watched Luna's chest still and stutter. Her eyes fluttered, her lids opening and flitting about the room desperately.

"Luna? Luna?" He felt his own desperation boiling over as he listened to the pounding of three hearts, she was panicking, her breathing was rapid.

"I can't see, Severus?" She sounded oddly calm for someone who was panicking as she was on the inside and he realized that she would never show him intentionally how frightened she was. She wanted him to believe in her, in her ability to take care of herself.

Wrapping her in his arms was all he could do and he listened as she took deep, gasping breaths, her nose buried in his neck.

"Everything is fine love, everything is fine." He stroked and caressed her back as the other figure sat up. He glanced around, found the witch sitting wrapped in Severus' arms and reached out with a single hand. "Do. Not." Severus growled out but the boy gave him a look so serene he almost regretted his immediate defensive response.

"She fed her magic into me, I need to give it back." He spoke softly, as if he were approaching a wild animal, which for all his panic Severus might have been. "I need to give it back…" He trailed and gently pressed a hand to the witch's back. Severus tensed, holding her tightly and Luna gasped into his neck.

Severus watched the swirl of magic, the consuming, beautiful swirl of bright white magic that flowed from the boy and into his witch, his life. She grasped him tightly around the back before falling limp and three heartbeats fell into perfect harmony. The Riddle boy fell back into his bed once more and gave the other wizard a long look.

"He's gone. She thought it was me," he was staring at Luna now, "but it wasn't, it was her, her purity, her goodness. I've never even heard of anything like it, she's amazing." Severus turned his eyes down to the sleeping witch and smiled to himself, his lips pressing gently to the side of Luna's head.

"Yes, she most certainly is that."

 _SSLL_

"Enjoy your family, Severus, we'll take care of the stragglers." Severus clutched Luna's hand in his own as he stared down his godson. Luna was stood beside him, smiling serenely and entirely recovered from her experience with the entire loss of her magic.

Riddle had returned to his home with family, the assurance that his father was entirely gone going with him and Luna had confirmed for them, three times, that it was true. Now his wife held her stomach with a delicate hand and smiled across at the two young men holding hands as they spoke quietly amongst themselves.

There were still death eaters to be gathered and taken care of, and the new regime that Riddle had been building before their intervention. He had confidence that the two could handle them however and he wanted nothing more than to take his bride and leave.

For a long, long time.

They planned to return to Hogwarts long enough for Luna to complete her N.E.W.T.s and then Slughorn would take his place as potions master once more. They would be going to live in the home Luna had shared with her father.

He couldn't wait to get on with their lives and leave this, the sadness, all of it behind.

He squeezed her hand and dipped to kiss the side of her head affectionately.

"Do visit us when you have finished gathering them." Severus smirked at his godson who gave a nod. Harry embraced Luna beside him and gave her a soft kiss on the top of her head.

"I want pictures of the babies, of course." He chided as an aside and Luna nodded.

"Of course, would you like them before or after they are born?" She smiled cheekily, earning a chuckle from all three wizards.

"After, if you please." Harry huffed haughtily before the four said their goodbyes.

The future looked wonderfully good.


	46. Epilogue

Forty-Five -Epilogue

"Give it back!" Severus watched as Alouette tackled her brother to the ground and tried to wrestle her doll from his hands. A smile played at his lips as he observed them.

They had fought tooth and nail almost from the moment they were born but still he couldn't have hoped for better children.

"You'll never get it back!" Alec laughed wickedly as he forced his sister from atop him and took off running once again, his little five year old legs carrying him up the hillside that they loved to play on. Severus and Luna still occupied the home she had shared with her father and he could honestly say he couldn't see raising his little family anywhere else.

He heard a cry from behind him and turned to see his wife of nearly six years holding their youngest against her chest. She was smiling up at him as she came further into the room and he couldn't help his own beaming smile in return.

"He wants his daddy, mummy is just no fun." She smiled as she handed him Luca, who immediately grasped the jet buttons of his frockcoat and cooed.

"You should be nicer to mummy, after all, she is the one who will defend you when you are bad." He smirked as he pressed a kiss to the boy's soft forehead.

"Because daddy is so strict." She huffed a laugh before turning to leave. He watched her go with a smile on his face.

They'd been through so much, but he'd do it all again to come to stand in the same place once more.


End file.
